Abstract:
The purpose of this research was to understand how the risks associated with West
Nile virus (WNV) were presented by the Winnipeg Free Press. A detailed content
analysis was completed on all Winnipeg Free Press articles and Manitoba Health
news releases, between 1999 and 2008, containing information related to West Nile.
Additional data included interviews with government and media representatives.
Several recurring frames, including blame, controversy, rights and fairness, risk, and
uncertainty were found in the newspaper data. Over time there was a decrease in both
the coverage and prominence of WNV-related issues by the Winnipeg Free Press. In
terms of the use of sources by media, the provincial government was found to be the
most commonly used source in this context. Reporting of WNV-related issues by the
Winnipeg Free Press has been relatively clear and balanced despite some initial
alarmist coverage surrounding the uncertainty of the arrival of WNV.
