'Sending the wrong signal': Analysis of print media reportage of the ACT heroin prescription trial proposal, August 1997

OBJECTIVE: To analyse and compare newspaper coverage about heroin during a period spanning two government policy decisions to approve, then prevent, a trial of heroin prescription to dependent users. METHOD: All articles published about heroin spanning the two policy decisio ns (1-19 August 1997) were collected from seven major Australian newspapers . Analyses included content and orientation analyses of all articles and di scourse analysis of articles (excluding letters) containing value-laden sta tements about heroin prescription. Comparisons were made of content, orient ation and subtextual themes employed by opponents and proponents of heroin prescription. RESULTS: 231 articles with references to heroin were identified from seven newspapers, 28% were published by The Daily Telegraph. This newspaper campa igned against the heroin prescription trial with 66% of news articles and 1 00% of opinion items negative in orientation, compared to averages of 11% a nd 16% of news and opinion articles published by comparison newspapers. Sev en subtexts were identified in coverage opposing heroin prescription includ ing "surrender in the war on drugs", "government as drug pedlar" and "deser ving/undeserving citizens". Six subtexts supportive of heroin prescription were identified including "failure of prohibition" and "time for new approa ches". CONCLUSION: The mid-1997 policy reversal on heroin prescription was due, in part, to the higher activity of opponents following approval of the trial and because proponents did not reframe discourses used to denigrate the pro posal. IMPLICATIONS: To be successful, advocates of new policy need to recognise a nd reframe negative discourses to create new dominant themes which address the concerns of the public.