The Needle and the Damage Done: Framing the Heroin Epidemic in the Cincinnati Enquirer

Abstract

This case study focuses on the Cincinnati Enquirer's coverage of the heroin epidemic. The Enquirer started the first heroin beat in January 2016, and it could serve as a model for other news organizations. Reporters used combinations of episodic, thematic, public health, and crime and law enforcement frames in their coverage. These news frames are discussed in terms of how individualism-collectivism, geographic location, available resources, and social determinants inform journalistic and societal discussions of the heroin epidemic in terms of solutions instead of responsibility or blame.

Framing Science: How Opioid Research Is Presented in Online News Media

“…This had been the case with regards to the news media's framing of the opioid epidemic more broadly, which, much like with previous drug epidemics related to crack cocaine and methamphetamine, saw people with opioid use disorders stigmatized in media reports in ways that are believed to have hindered policy implementation and harm reduction efforts (Lawrence et al, 2000;McGinty et al, 2018McGinty et al, , 2019). Yet, contrary to media reporting on prior epidemics, coverage of the opioid epidemic has increasingly shifted toward a public health lens, which positions opioid use and related disorders as treatable health conditions, and away from the more traditional emphasis on law enforcement, which frames opioid misuse in terms of criminal activities (McGinty et al, 2016;Willis and Painter, 2019;Shachar et al, 2020). As both these frames promote two distinct intervention strategies-law enforcement solutions focusing on arrests and prosecutions and public health responses aimed at expanding treatment and harm reduction-these narratives matter.…”

Framing science: How opioid research is presented in online news media

“…Indeed, much like with previous drug epidemics related to crack cocaine and methamphetamine, people with opioid use disorders are often stigmatized in media reports, which might hinder policy implementation and harm reduction efforts (McGinty et al, 2018(McGinty et al, , 2019). Yet, contrary to media reporting on prior epidemics, coverage of the opioid epidemic has increasingly shifted towards a public health lens, which positions opioid use and related disorders as treatable health conditions, and away from the more traditional emphasis on law enforcement, which frames opioid misuse in terms of criminal activities (McGinty et al, 2016;Willis and Painter, 2019;Shachar et al, 2020). As both these frames promote two distinct intervention strategies-law enforcement solutions focusing on arrests and prosecutions and public health responses aimed at expanding treatment and harm reduction-these narratives matter.…”

The Opioid-Overdose Crisis and Fentanyl: The Role of Online Information Seeking via Internet Search Engines

“…Whereas legacy media such as newspapers may also beneficially contribute to the drug overdose crisisfor example, the Cincinnati Enquirer started a "heroin beat" in January 2016 (Willis & Painter, 2019), the large number of Google users globally makes search engines an especially powerful tool for public health interventions. That said, research is necessary to test the most effective formulations of warning and help messages prior to implementation.…”