Policy Hub
The media focus reporting on 'scare' stories.
A report from King's Fund, published on 16 September 2003 (Health in the news: risk, reporting and media influence: executive summary) (135KB), has implications for policy makers and the need to know what the media regards as 'News'. The report tests the premise that, by under reporting serious public health issues e.g. smoking and obesity, and focusing instead on 'scare' stories e.g. BSE/CJD, the media distort perceptions of health risks.
A press summary of the report can be viewed on the King's Fund website.