Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

At a glance: The STEP trials

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2012

Open Access 01-12-2012 | Correspondence

Advocates, interest groups and Australian news coverage of alcohol advertising restrictions: content and framing analysis

Authors: Andrea S Fogarty, Simon Chapman

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2012

Login to get access

Abstract

Background

Legislating restrictions on alcohol advertising is a cost-effective measure to reduce consumption of alcohol. Yet Australia relies upon industry self-regulation through voluntary codes of practice regarding the content, timing and placement of alcohol advertising. Ending industry self-regulation was recommended by the National Preventative Health Taskforce; a suggestion contested by the drinks industry. Debates about emerging alcohol-control policies regularly play out in the news media, with various groups seeking to influence the discussion. This paper examines news coverage of recommendations to restrict alcohol advertising to see how supporters and opponents frame the debate, with a view to providing some suggestions for policy advocates to advance the discussion.

Methods

We used content and framing analyses to examine 329 Australian newspaper items mentioning alcohol advertising restrictions over 24 months. All items were coded for mentions of specific types of advertising and types of advertising restrictions, the presence of news frames that opposed or endorsed advertising restrictions, statements made within each frame and the news-actors who appeared.

Results

Restrictions were the main focus in only 36% of 329 items. Alcohol advertising was conceived of as television (47%) and sport-related (56%). Restrictions were mentioned in non-specific terms (45%), or specified as restrictions on timing and placement (49%), or content (22%). Public health professionals (47%) appeared more frequently than drinks industry representatives (18%). Five supportive news frames suggested the policy is a sensible public health response, essential to protect children, needed to combat the drinks industry, required to stop pervasive branding, or as only an issue in sport. Four unsupportive frames positioned restrictions as unnecessary for a responsible industry, an attack on legitimate commercial activities, ineffective and ‘nannyist’, or inessential to government policy. Support varied among news-actors, with public health professionals (94%) more supportive than the public (68%), community-based organisations (76%), the government (72%), and the sports (16%), drinks (3%), or advertising (4%) industries.

Conclusion

Restrictions on alcohol advertising currently have low newsworthiness as a standalone issue. Future advocacy might better define the exact nature of required restrictions, anticipate vocal opposition and address forms of advertising beyond televised sport if exposure to advertising, especially among children, is to be reduced.
Literature
1.
2.
Laslett A-M, Room R, Ferris J, Wilkinson C, Livingston M, Mugavin J: Surveying the range and magnitude of alcohol's harm to others in Australia. Addiction. 2011, 106 (9): 1603-1611. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03445.x.CrossRefPubMed
3.
National Preventative Health Taskforce: Australia: the healthiest country by 2020. 2009, National Preventative Health Strategy - the roadmap for action. Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, Canberra, ACT
4.
Babor T, Caetano R, Casswell S, Edwards G, Giesbrecht N, Graham K, et al: Alcohol: no ordinary commodity research and public policy. 2010, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2CrossRef
5.
Collins DJ, Lapsley HM: The avoidable costs of alcohol abuse in Australia and the potential benefits of effective policies to reduce the social costs of alcohol. 2008, Canberra, AustraliaCrossRef
6.
Jernigan DH: Framing a public health debate over alcohol advertising: The Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth 2002–2008. J Public Health Policy. 2011, 32 (2): 165-179. 10.1057/jphp.2011.5.CrossRefPubMed
7.
Meier PS: Alcohol marketing research: the need for a new agenda. Addiction. 2011, 106 (3): 466-471. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2010.03160.x.CrossRefPubMed
8.
Casswell S: Current status of alcohol marketing policy—an urgent challenge for global governance. Addiction. 2012, 107 (3): 478-485. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2011.03701.x.CrossRefPubMed
9.
Jernigan DH, Jernigan DH: Importance of reducing youth exposure to alcohol advertising. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006, 160 (1): 100-102. 10.1001/archpedi.160.1.100.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Kelly B, Baur LA, Bauman AE, Smith BJ, Saleh S, King LA, et al: Role modelling unhealthy behaviours: food and drink sponsorship of peak sporting organisations. Health Promot J Austr. 2011, 22 (1): 72-75.PubMed
11.
Jones S: When does alcohol sponsorship of sport become sports sponsorship of alcohol? A case study of developments in sport in Australia. Int J Sports Mark Sponsorship. 2010, 11 (3): 250-261.
12.
Dal Cin S, Worth KA, Dalton MA, Sargent JD: Youth exposure to alcohol use and brand appearances in popular contemporary movies. Addiction. 2008, 103 (12): 1925-1932. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2008.02304.x.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
13.
Fielder L, Donovan RJ, Ouschan R: Exposure of children and adolescents to alcohol advertising on Australian metropolitan free-to-air television. Addiction. 2009, 104 (7): 1157-1165. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2009.02592.x.CrossRefPubMed
14.
Winter MV, Donovan RJ, Fielder LJ, Winter MV, Donovan RJ, Fielder LJ: Exposure of children and adolescents to alcohol advertising on television in Australia. J Stud Alcohol. 2008, 69 (5): 676-683.CrossRef
15.
King C, Siegel M, Jernigan DH, Wulach L, Ross C, Dixon K, et al: Adolescent exposure to alcohol advertising in magazines: an evaluation of advertising placement in relation to underage youth readership. J Adolesc Health. 2009, 45 (6): 626-633. 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2009.03.012.CrossRefPubMed
16.
Cousins K, Kypri K: Alcohol advertising in the New Zealand university student press. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2008, 27 (5): 566-569. 10.1080/09595230802245246.CrossRefPubMed
17.
Nelson JP: Alcohol marketing policy: the missing evidence. Addiction. 2012, 107 (9): 1708-1709. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03947.x.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Casswell S: Alcohol marketing policy: the missing evidence – a response to Nelson. Addiction. 2012, 107 (9): 1709-1710. 10.1111/j.1360-0443.2012.03965.x.CrossRef
19.
Duffy M: Advertising and the consumption of tobacco and alcoholic drink: a system-wide analysis. Scot J Polit Econ. 1991, 38 (4): 369-385. 10.1111/j.1467-9485.1991.tb00325.x.CrossRef
20.
Nelson JP: Broadcast advertising and US demand for alcoholic beverages. Southern Econ J. 1999, 65 (4): 774-790. 10.2307/1061275.CrossRef
21.
Collins RL, Ellickson PL, McCaffrey D, Hambarsoomians K: Early adolescent exposure to alcohol advertising and its relationship to underage drinking. J Adolesc Health. 2007, 40 (6): 527-534. 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.01.002.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
22.
Stacy AW, Zogg JB, Unger JB, Dent CW: Exposure to televised alcohol ads and subsequent adolescent alcohol use. Am J Health Behav. 2004, 28 (6): 498-509.CrossRefPubMed
23.
Jones S, Magee C: Exposure to alcohol advertising and alcohol consumption among Australian adolescents. Alcohol Alcohol. 2011, 46 (5): 630-637.CrossRefPubMed
24.
Hastings G, Anderson S, Cooke E, Gordon R: Alcohol marketing and young peoples drinking: a review of the research. J Public Health Policy. 2005, 26 (3): 296-311. 10.1057/palgrave.jphp.3200039.CrossRefPubMed
25.
Snyder LB, Milici FF, Slater M, Sun H, Strizhakova Y: Effects of alcohol advertising exposure on drinking among youth. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2006, 160 (1): 18-24. 10.1001/archpedi.160.1.18.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Anderson P, de Bruijn A, Angus K, Gordon R, Hastings G: Impact of alcohol advertising and media exposure on adolescent alcohol use: a systematic review of longitudinal studies. Alcohol Alcohol. 2009, 44 (3): 229-243.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Chen MJ, Grube JW, Bersamin M, Waiters E, Keefe DB: Alcohol advertising: what makes it attractive to youth?. J Health Commun. 2005, 10 (6): 553-565. 10.1080/10810730500228904.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Jones SC, Gregory P, Munro G: Adolescent and young adult perceptions of Australian alcohol advertisements. J Subst Use. 2009, 14 (6): 335-352. 10.3109/14659890802654524.CrossRef
29.
Austin EW, Hust SJ: Targeting adolescents? The content and frequency of alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverage ads in magazine and video formats November 1999-April 2000. J Health Commun. 2005, 10 (8): 769-785. 10.1080/10810730500326757.CrossRefPubMed
30.
Doran CM, Hall WD, Shakeshaft AP, Vos T, Cobiac LJ: Alcohol policy reform in Australia: what can we learn from the evidence?. Med J Aust. 2010, 192 (8): 468-470.PubMed
31.
National Preventative Health Taskforce: Preventing alcohol-related harm in Australia: a window of opportunity. Australia: the healthiest country by 2020. 2009, Alcohol Working Group, Australian Government, Canberra
32.
33.
34.
35.
Daube M: Alcohol and tobacco. Aust NZ J Publ Heal. 2012, 36 (2): 108-110. 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2012.00855.x.CrossRef
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
Scott MM, Cohen DA, Schonlau M, Farley TA, Bluthenthal RN: Alcohol and tobacco marketing - Evaluating compliance with outdoor advertising guidelines. Am J Prev Med. 2008, 35 (3): 203-209. 10.1016/j.amepre.2008.05.026.CrossRefPubMedPubMedCentral
41.
Donovan K, Donovan R, Howat P, Weller N: Magazine alcohol advertising compliance with the Australian Alcoholic Beverages Advertising Code. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2007, 26 (1): 73-81. 10.1080/09595230601037026.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Jones SC, Lynch M: Non-advertising alcohol promotions in licensed premises: does the Code of Practice ensure responsible promotion of alcohol?. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2007, 26 (5): 477-485. 10.1080/09595230701494390.CrossRefPubMed
43.
Jones SC, Donovan RJ: Self-regulation of alcohol advertising: is it working for Australia?. J Public Aff. 2002, 2 (3): 153-165. 10.1002/pa.105.CrossRef
44.
Jones SC, Hall D, Munro G, Jones SC, Hall D, Munro G: How effective is the revised regulatory code for alcohol advertising in Australia?. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2008, 27 (1): 29-38. 10.1080/09595230701499175.CrossRefPubMed
45.
Tobin C, Moodie AR, Livingstone C: A review of public opinion towards alcohol controls in Australia. BMC Publ Health. 2011, 11 (1): 58-10.1186/1471-2458-11-58.CrossRef
46.
Wilkinson C, Room R, Livingston M: Mapping Australian public opinion on alcohol policies in the new millennium. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2009, 28 (3): 263-274. 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2009.00027.x.CrossRefPubMed
47.
Hawkins N, Sanson-Fisher R, Shakeshaft A, Webb G: Differences in licensee, police and public opinions regarding interventions to reduce alcohol-related harm associated with licensed premises. Aust NZ J Publ Heal. 2009, 33 (2): 160-166. 10.1111/j.1753-6405.2009.00364.x.CrossRef
48.
Entman RM: Framing: toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. J Commun. 1993, 43: 51-58. 10.1111/j.1460-2466.1993.tb01304.x.CrossRef
49.
Kitzinger J: Framing and frame analysis. Media studies: key issues and debates. Edited by: Devereux E. 2007, SAGE, London, 134-161.
50.
Terkildsen N, Schnell FI, Ling C: Interest groups, the media, and policy debate formation: an analysis of message structure, rhetoric, and source cues. Polit Commun. 1998, 15 (1): 45-61. 10.1080/105846098199127.CrossRef
51.
Philo G: News content studies, media group methods and discourse analysis: a comparison of approaches. Media studies: key issues and debates. Edited by: Devereux E. 2007, SAGE Publications, London, 101-133.
52.
Hoffman LH, Slater MD: Evaluating public discourse in newspaper opinion articles: Values-framing and integrative complexity in substance and health policy issues. J Mass Commun Q. 2007, 84 (1): 58-74.
53.
Gross K: Framing pesuasive appeals: episodic and thematic framing, emotional response, and policy opinion. Political Psychol. 2008, 29 (2): 169-192. 10.1111/j.1467-9221.2008.00622.x.CrossRef
54.
Gross K, Brewer PR: Sore losers: News frames, policy debates, and emotions. Harv Int J Press-Polit. 2007, 12 (1): 122-133. 10.1177/1081180X06297231.CrossRef
55.
Chapman S, McLeod K, Wakefield M, Holding S: Impact of news of celebrity illness on breast cancer screening: Kylie Minogue's breast cancer diagnosis. Med J Aust. 2005, 183 (5): 247-250.PubMed
56.
Casswell S: Public Discourse on Alcohol. Health Promot Internation. 1997, 12 (3): 251-257. 10.1093/heapro/12.3.251.CrossRef
57.
Fogarty AS, Chapman S: Framing and the marginalisation of evidence in media reportage of policy debate about alcopops, Australia 2008–2009: Implications for advocacy. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2010, 569-576.
58.
Fogarty A, Chapman S: Australian television news coverage of alcohol, health and related policies, 2005 to 2010: implications for alcohol policy advocates. Aust NZ J Publ Heal. in press
59.
60.
Neuendorf KA: The Content Analysis Guidebook. 2002, Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California
61.
Zhongdang P, Kosicki GM: Framing analysis: an approach to news discourse. Polit Commun. 1993, 10 (1): 55-75. 10.1080/10584609.1993.9962963.CrossRef
62.
Sim J, Wright CC: The Kappa statistic in reliability studies: use, interpretation, and sample size requirements. Phys Ther. 2005, 85 (3): 257-268.PubMed
63.
Fleiss JL: Statistical methods for rates and proportions. 1973, John Wiley & Sons, Oxford, England
64.
65.
National Preventative Health Taskforce: Tobacco control in Australia: making smoking history. Technical report 2. 2009, Tobacco Working Group, Australian Government, Canberra
66.
Chapman S: Public health advocacy and tobacco control: making smoking history. 2007, Malden MA: Blackwell Publishing, OxfordCrossRef
67.
Nicholls J: Everyday, everywhere: alcohol marketing and social media—Current Trends. Alcohol Alcohol. 2012, 23: 2012-
68.
Ridout B, Campbell A, Ellis L: ‘Off your Face(book)’: Alcohol in online social identity construction and its relation to problem drinking in university students. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2011
69.
Nicholls J: UK news reporting of alcohol: an analysis of television and newspaper coverage. Drug-Educ Prev Policy. 2011, 18 (3): 200-206. 10.3109/09687631003796453.CrossRef
70.
71.
72.
Tobin CL, Fitzgerald JL, Livingstone C, Thomson L, Harper TA: Support for breaking the nexus between alcohol and community sports settings: Findings from the VicHealth community attitudes survey in Australia. Drug Alcohol Rev. 2012
Metadata
Title
Advocates, interest groups and Australian news coverage of alcohol advertising restrictions: content and framing analysis
Authors
Andrea S Fogarty
Simon Chapman
Publication date
01-12-2012
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2012
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-12-727

Other articles of this Issue 1/2012

BMC Public Health 1/2012 Go to the issue

Research article

Risk factors for VIA positivity and determinants of screening attendances in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Commentary

Aedes albopictus and the reemergence of Dengue

Research article

Effects of self-rated health on sick leave, disability pension, hospital admissions and mortality. A population-based longitudinal study of nearly 15,000 observations among Swedish women and men

Research article

Time trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality in a mid-sized northeastern Brazilian city

Research article

School closure as an influenza mitigation strategy: how variations in legal authority and plan criteria can alter the impact

Research article

Living alone and antidepressant medication use: a prospective study in a working-age population