 Hyped biomedical science or uncritical reporting? Press coverage of genomics (1992-2001) in QuébecEric Racine, Isabelle Gareau, Hubert Doucet, Danielle Laudy, Guy Jobin and Pamela Schraedley-Desmond Social Science & Medicine, 2006, vol. 62, issue 5, 1278-1290 Abstract: Genomics integrates the promises and perils of modern biomedical science. Canada and the province of Québec embarked late but aggressively in genomics research based on the 'discourse of promise' in which genomics is embedded. This did not prevent the emergence of a 'discourse of concerns', and debates on the wider meaning of genomics and on the risks related to genomics applications such as gene therapy and gene testing. Given this context, this study aims to understand the evolution of genomics press coverage from the early days up to the publication of the draft sequence of the human genome. Accordingly, we performed a press content analysis on 749 articles reporting genomics research in Québec from 1992 to 2001. We focused on coverage of benefits and ethical issues, tone, and differences in reporting practices between press agencies and journalists. Results show an increasing number of articles, a general decline in the proportion of articles featuring ethical issues, an increased focus on the economy, and greater optimism from 1992 to 2001. In comparison to articles written by journalists, articles signed by press agencies are more optimistic and less often feature ethical issues. Results are discussed following two non-exclusive interpretations: (1) the successes of genomics and its institutionalization in Québec and Canada brought hype and greater social acceptance, and (2) uncritical reporting practices have emerged under pressures for expedient and consumable writing. We are left with two concerns: given worldwide media concentration movements, what are the challenges for the dissemination of diversified and critical information in print media? And, given limited coverage of ethical issues, and concerns about bioethics being too narrowly focused, should public debates on frontier biomedical science be promoted to broaden the scope of biomedical ethics? Keywords: Genomics; Biotechnology; Media; Bioethics; Canada (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:socmed:v:62:y:2006:i:5:p:1278-1290 Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from Access Statistics for this article Social Science & Medicine is currently edited by Ichiro (I.) Kawachi and S.V. (S.V.) Subramanian More articles in Social Science & Medicine from Elsevier |
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