Several news outlet's online articles were analyzed through the lens of framing theory.

1. Framing an epidemic:
The opioid crisis
in news media
By: Gloria Wilson

2. OPIOIDS IN THE MEDIA
Opioids chemically bind to receptors that block pain in the body which creates a feeling of
euphoria.
In 1995 the organization introduced OxyContin which was marketed as a less-addictive
opioid pill. The marketing team at Purdue pharmaceuticals emphasized that the drug
should be prescribed for a large range of pain concerns and stressed the two-a-day
frequency of the pill.
Coming to prominence in the 1980’s and 1990’s due to frequent over-prescription and
Perdue Pharma’s marketing team, opioid abuse is a health epidemic that continues to
plague many Americans.
Countless articles have been written regarding some aspect of opioid misuse.
News outlets are known for being sources of information that many people listen to and
follow just because they deem the source as reputable.
Because news outlets have such a large, impressionable audience, how information is
framed is equally important as what information is reported on.

3. Humanizing:
Appealing to people, gentle or kind
Aid:
Public or privatized efforts to
combat the opioid epidemic
Communal health problem:
Seen as a issue affecting
community & not just ind.
Criminality:
Behavior deemed illicit
Theory
Key Terms
RQ1: How does the media
influence the public’s thoughts
about opioid dependency?
RQ2: How is opioid dependency
portrayed in the media?

4. Past Research
Oftentimes “News media more often frame the problem as a criminal
justice issue. The most frequently mentioned cause of the problem was
illegal drug dealing, and the most frequently mentioned solutions were
law enforcement solutions designed to arrest and prosecute the
individuals responsible for diverting opioid analgesics onto the illegal
market.” (McGinty, Stone, Kennedy-Hendricks & Berry)
It has been shown that the media focuses on the drug itself and its users
which completely ignores the outer factors impacting the communities
that use these drugs as a whole. (Szalavitz)

5. METHOD
Keywords “opioid” and “fentanyl”.
● Inductive thematic analysis
● used to further reveal patterns in the data and to
help organize the data.
● Critical content analysis
● Critical content analysis entails analyzing data
through a process of identifying codes and themes.
(Hsieh & Shannon, 2005 )
And the most important thing: the audience won’t miss the
point of your presentation
Fox News, CNN, Vice, Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The
Washington Times and NBC News
2017 - 2021

6. Themes
Humanizing
“loved one”, “patient” and
“persons misusing
opioids”
Aid
exchange programs,
rehabilitation centers,
monitored consumption
Dehumanizing
drug users are nothing
more than a person with
an opioid addiction.
Criminality
Sole focus on illicit aspect
01 02
04 05
Community
neighborhood safety and
described as a mass
health problem
Mass Hysteria
scare tactics through
information overload and
general misinformation
03
06

7. Themes
Humanizing
“loved one”, “patient” and
“persons misusing
opioids”
Aid
exchange programs,
rehabilitation centers,
monitored consumption
01 02
Community
neighborhood safety and
described as a mass
health problem
03
“As I sit in silence now, I think about what I would tell any sister, brother, mother, father or partner who
wants to protect a loved one from addiction. Anyone who might be wondering, does my loved one have a
problem? What can I do?” (Ward, NBC)
Two articles commonly mentioned the local police working directly with drug users through “...welcoming
them with open arms when they arrive to trade drugs for treatment.” (Mordock, Washington Times)
Former president Trump “declared the opioid crisis a national health emergency” and how “...he signed a
bill increasing federal opioid funding to record levels.” (Amiri & Mulvihill, AJC)

8. Themes
Dehumanizing
drug users are nothing
more than a person with
an opioid addiction.
Criminality
Sole focus on illicit aspect
04 05
Mass Hysteria
scare tactics through
information overload and
general misinformation
06
“After an overdose death, addicts flock to that drug dealer because they figure that’s
where they can get the most potent stuff,” (Mordock, Washington Times)
“Mexican police found a multi-drug shipment that included a 100 pounds of the
synthetic opioid fentanyl in a vehicle near the city of Ensenada, officials said
Thursday.” (Zwirz, Fox News)
“You can't just touch fentanyl and overdose.” (Romero, NBC)

9. DISCUSSION
The findings of this study are crucial to
combat the public health crisis known
as the opioid epidemic.
Many deaths and beginnings of
addictions can be prevented due to
proper education and stigma
reduction. The current norms
surrounding addiction can be changed
through the media due to it’s
impression on its audiences.
Unbiased information is key