Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2014

Publication Title

Synaesthesia

Volume

Summer

First Page

1

Keywords

Media, Toronto Star, Breast Cancer

Last Page

16

Abstract

Research on media coverage of breast cancer has illustrated a tendency to report most often on prevalence, detection and treatment with a general lack of environmental and prevention oriented stories. In spite of growing evidence of links of causation between environmental and occupational exposures to breast cancer, the media seem generally to omit these factors. A detailed Critical Discourse Analysis was conducted on 125 articles from the Toronto Star from the year 2012, with the Propaganda Model as the theoretical framework. Seven different themes were found in the coverage of breast cancer. The study exposed how the dominant ideology came to bear on those texts, including the general omission and/or downplaying of environmental and occupational exposures in relation to breast cancer, as well as primary prevention. Given the significance for public health, understanding how the media cover the breast cancer epidemic can reveal necessary paradigm shifts.

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