Drinking in the Mass Media: A Nine-Year Project

Abstract

A nine-year study involved content analyses of five types of national media. Using stratified random samples, television, magazines, daily newspapers, college newspapers, and comic books were studied. Emphasis was placed on drinking patterns as well as on quantitative frequency and distribution measures. Alcohol appearances took a variety of forms. Depictions and discussions of alcoholism were infrequent; more common were alcohol appearances as unplanned and “taken for granted.” Many appearances were minor. Frequency was considerable; however, in television series, use of alcohol was more frequent than use of coffee, tea, soft drinks and water combined. Each medium had its own manner of presentation. Using a process called “cooperative consultation” intervention with media personnel to change alcohol-relevant materials was shown to be possible.