Media coverage of tobacco diversification: tradeoffs for community health Available to Purchase

As part of a tobacco farmer diversification randomized intervention study in 14 eastern North Carolina counties, a media content analysis of 16 local newspapers was conducted. All available issues of each of the newspapers from the period 1 November 1996, through 31 December 1999, were reviewed, and all relevant articles were clipped, coded, and entered into a database. Media coverage intensity was compared, qualitatively, with data from interviews with local civic, health, and religious leaders. There was, on average, only one tobacco diversification article in every 100 newspaper issues. The hypothesis that coverage of tobacco diversification and tobacco control would become more favorable in the intervention counties over time was not supported. Interview data showed that organizational leaders placed a higher priority on tobacco diversification policy issues than evidenced by media coverage.