Mass Mediated Disease: A Case Study Analysis of Three Flu Pandemics and Public Health Policy

Influenza is a continuing news story with three clearly defined pandemics. Spanning a history of over fifty years, Mass Mediated Disease focuses on the Spanish influenza pandemic of 1918, the Asian influenza pandemic of 1957, and the Hong Kong influenza pandemic of 1968, by discussing news stories reported by the New York Times, London Times, and other popular magazines. This groundbreaking work demonstrates that the social construction of influenza changed over time, which was reflected by the mass media, and ultimately resulted in public policies that clearly illustrate the link between media and policy formation in the United States. This comprehensive history serves as an example for future incidents involving mass casualties or mass contamination from infectious agents—especially on what to expect, what to do, and what not to do regarding the crisis response, reportage, and resulting policies.