Mass Mediated Disease: A Case Study Analysis of Three Flu Pandemics and Public Health Policy

(Paperback)

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Description

Influenza is a continuing news story with three clearly defined pandemics. Spanning a history of over fifty years, Mass Mediated Disease focuses on the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918, the Asian influenza pandemic of 1957, and the Hong Kong influenza pandemic of 1968, by discussing news stories reported by the New York Times, London Times, and other popular magazines. This groundbreaking work demonstrates that the social construction of influenza changed over time, which was reflected by the mass media, and ultimately resulted in public policies that clearly illustrate the link between media and policy formation in the United States. This comprehensive history serves as an example for future incidents involving mass casualties or mass contamination from infectious agentsespecially on what to expect, what to do, and what not to do regarding the crisis response, reportage, and resulting policies.

Reviews

What makes this book so unique is that this analysis was conducted from the vantage point of how various newspapers, such as the The Times of London and The New York Times reported on these epidemics. The end result is an eye-opening analysis of how these epidemics were viewed in the popular culture, and more important, how the media filtered information about the pandemics to the public. . . . Most important, however, this book illustrates the role that the media has in setting public policy, and the enormous responsibilty that the media has when reporting on such monumental events. . . . Detailed, and groundbreaking, Mass Mediated Disease is essential reading for anyone with an interest in public health issues, media studies, or the history of pandemics. * The Athenaeum *

Author Bio

Debra E. Blakely is assistant professor of communication at the University of HoustonClear Lake.