ABSTRACT
Health and medical stories feature prominently in news and current affairs media, in part reflecting their obvious relevance to many people. We all get sick and we all have some sort of stake in health services. Media coverage of health care reflects and reinforces our hopes, fears and concerns. Analyses of media coverage of health services can provide insights into the political and social dynamics of health care, the media, and social values. This chapter examines the findings of selected studies of news and current affairs reporting of health and medicine. It explores various factors that influence how journalists identify, select and present stories about the health service, and reviews recent developments in health care and the reporting of health care.
