Coverage of Cancer News in Pakistani Print Media: A Content Analysis Study of Daily Pahenji Akhbar – A Sindhi Language Newspaper

Abstract

Background: Newspaper coverage is a key source of cancer information. Although it was of profound significance to understand how the local newspapers of Pakistan cover the cancer news.

Aims and Objectives: To counter this, the present study was aimed to examine the cancer news coverage of the last year 2020.

Materials and Methods: Using content analysis technique, the whole year coverage in daily Pehnji Akhbar was investigated to determine which topic and the type of cancer were most frequently mentioned in the news, and what was the locality the cancer news was most frequently reported from.

Results: In total, 90 cancer-related news were generated, out of which 7.5% of news were found as an average in each month during the whole year of 2020. Death was the topic of the majority (90%) of the news (contributing to 74% male deaths and 15% female deaths). However, blood, liver, throat, and mouth cancers were the most frequently mentioned-types in the news related to male victims. In terms of localities, the rural areas were the highest contributors of the 57 cancer news (contributing to 48% male victims and 14% female victims).

Conclusion: It was found that cancer is increasing at an alarming rate in the rural areas of Sindh.

Recommendations: Keeping in view the significance of the newspapers, it would help proffer the public with adequate information on cancer by increasing the mentions of particular types of common cancer. Also, it would be beneficial if the newspapers consider relating the news to the profiles of the victims.

Keywords: Cancer, mortality, news reporting, print media, public health