Objective: To review the principal subtexts contained in all press coverage
and references to the tobacco industry in a major Sydney newspaper over fi
ve years.
Method and sample: After excluding value-neutral financial page reports, th
ematic analysis of all value-laden references to the tobacco industry in th
e Sydney Morning Herald, January 1993 to December 1997.
Results: Some 155 articles containing 221 separate references to the tobacc
o industry were identified. Eight sub-texts (callous merchants of death; co
nspiracy/cover-up; blood money; toxic pied pipers; corporate leviathans; be
leaguered/legitimate industry; index case of unethical or corrupt practice;
and bumbling fools) accounted for all 221 references. Eighty-nine per cent
of references to the industry framed it negatively. Journalists or regular
newspaper columnists authored 56% of the references. Only 5% of comments w
ere attributed to tobacco company sources.
Conclusions: In press reports, the tobacco industry is routinely framed as
a corporate pariah by journalists, the public, government spokespeople and
tobacco control advocates.
Implications: Routine negative publicity about the tobacco industry is like
ly to significantly reduce its public credibility and political influence.