Cross-National Newspaper Coverage of Sexual Education: A Community Structure Approach

Authors:

• Megan Van Der Stad (College of New Jersey)
• Jennifer Higgins (College of New Jersey)

Abstract:

Using a "community structure approach" this study explores the cross-national (eleven-nation) newspaper coverage of sexual education in the eleven years after the onset of the UNAIDS organization in 1996. All articles 250+ words printed in the eleven-year period (January 1, 1996- January 1, 2007) were coded for "prominence" and "direction" and were combined into a newspaper "Media Vector" score. Pearson analysis revealed that high rates of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita, Media Access, GDP, Literacy Rate, and Communication Index are positively correlated with positive Media Vectors - coverage in support of comprehensive sexual education.