The new pariahs: discourse on the tobacco industry in the Sydney press, 1993-97

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.