Media Miracles: The Separation of Conjoined Twins, and Tv News Health Coverage in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Abstract

In November 2009, the successful surgical separation in Australia of conjoined twins from Bangladesh generated enormous domestic media interest. This article presents a thematic analysis of local television news and current affairs coverage about the twins. In addition to the predictable newsworthiness of a rare medical condition and its inherent drama, the narrative centred on opportunities to praise Australian medical skill and national character. This focus on identified individuals requiring advanced surgical intervention abroad contrasts with the dearth of coverage for health problems experienced by millions of anonymous individuals, more long-term and mundane health considerations or broader socio-economic contexts of health in low- and middle-income countries. Reportage of foreign health appears contingent on populist ‘rule of rescue’ frames and arresting footage that resonate with audiences' expectations of such nations. This article illuminates potential implications of this kind of reporting for the wider news space available to similar health stories.