Mothers are choosing--or being forced--to take jobs in unprecedented numbers, creating enormous demand for child care. At the same time, scientists are discovering the fundamental importance of learning from infancy to kindergarten. These two trends are propelling child care to the forefront of national policy. Advocates for maternal and child health can help steer the public debate if they know how media are framing the issue, and how they can compose strong arguments to expand and improve coverage.
Method: A quantitative and qualitative framing analysis of substantive stories about child care in a sample of leading national newspapers and a spectrum of California newspapers, large and small, spanning the past two years. A follow-up on our 1994-98 study.
Findings: Preliminary analysis indicates that child care, despite rivaling other large industries in employment and revenues, is almost invisible on business pages. Elsewhere in the papers analyzed, child care is a very minor issue, falling between traditional beats. When child care does make news, it's most often portrayed as political dream, or desperate need, or crime scene. Research on brain development continues to make news, however, and an argument is emerging that early childhood education, coupled with parent training, may revive hopes that education can make up at least some of the deficits in opportunity handicapping poor children.
Implications: A ground-floor opportunity exists for public health advocates to influence a policy debate of enormous importance in a society dividing between haves and have-nots.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, participants will understand which arguments the press has favored and shunned, the public health implications of these arguments and be prepared to discuss mechanisms for raising the salience of the issue in a positive way through the news media.
Keywords: Child Care, Media
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.