TOBACCO IN THE MEDIA AND YOUTH SMOKING
There is growing evidence that exposing young people to depictions of smoking in the media encourages young people to start or continue smoking.
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable death in New Zealand and New Zealand youth smoking rates continue to be an area of concern.
A review of international and New Zealand research examining media and youth smoking provides information to help HSC’s social marketing programmes for New Zealand youth.
The review showed that the media’s influence on youth smoking is a growing area of focus for agencies working in tobacco control. In particular, studies are beginning to show strong associations between smoking depictions in film and young people starting to smoke.
The review is largely based on information available as at 2005 and 2006. At this time, some limitations were highlighted including:
| • |
A lack of peer-reviewed studies.
|
| • |
Reliance on market research.
|
| • |
Most research has focused on film and television, rather than other types of media.
|
Click here for the review - Tobacco in the Media and Youth Smoking [PDF, 704KB, 39 pages]
This is a field, however, of burgeoning interest and publications, and we can draw some conclusions from the literature:
| • |
Young people are active consumers of media.
|
| • |
Young people actively engage with media images and appraise them on the basis of expectations of social norms and desires.
|
| • |
The factors that mediate between exposure and smoking attitudes and behaviours are not explicit but clearly play an important role. Examples include variables such as perceived smoking norms, perceived prevalence of smoking, intentions to smoke, and attitudes towards smokers.
|
| • |
Other factors, such as gender and age, are important to consider when investigating the effect of tobacco portrayal in the media and youth smoking.
|
| • |
The evidence suggests that the greater the amount of movie exposure the greater the likelihood of becoming a smoker.
|
| • |
The challenge for tobacco control agencies is not only monitoring what we know happens (smoking in movies) but critically appraising the presence of tobacco imagery in other media sources.
|
What is the HSC doing?
The HSC already has a number of initiatives looking at the role of tobacco portrayal in the media and youth smoking.
HSC Youth Programme’s Print Media Strategy (PMS): HSC’s Youth programme is currently focused on reducing pictorial and editorial depictions in key youth print media, and increasing smokefree and pro-health content. We work toward this aim by developing relationships with magazine publishers, editors, and advertising managers, communicating the issue and HSC’s objectives and offering advertising incentives where necessary.
Magazines rely on revenue generated through advertising to survive. The Youth programme supports various high profile, national youth events and contributes to their promotion as part of the support packages. Advertising material is, therefore, readily available to HSC to use as an incentive (where necessary) and acknowledgement of the support of magazines in reducing smoking depictions.
The majority of magazines approached embraced the concept and have agreed to eliminate tobacco depictions wherever possible. Once a magazine has committed to the concept, an ongoing relationship is maintained to ensure their continued support. The following publications are all working towards a smokefree future in the media - Girlfriend, Dolly, Cleo, Tearaway, Jet, Crème, Back2Basics, Curl, Stella, Remix, Groove Guide, Real Groove, and Rip It Up.
Youth Magazine Monitoring Project (YMMP): We have 10 young people (between the ages of 11 and 17) evaluating and monitoring key youth magazines on a monthly basis for smoking depictions and smokefree content. This project aims to:
| • |
Create a benchmark study of smoking depictions in key magazines.
|
| • |
Determine whether the magazines we are working with directly are eliminating depictions and/or increasing smokefree messages and pro-health content.
|
| • |
Gauge youth feedback on smoking depictions in the media from qualitative feedback included in the monitor evaluation forms.
|
Cinema Ad Intervention Study: This study looks at any short-term impacts associated with anti-tobacco advertisements in cinemas. Findings will be available soon.
Magazine readership study: This study assesses readers’ perceptions and beliefs about tobacco depiction in popular youth magazines.
Leaflet “Information for Employers in Theatre, Film, and Television”: This leaflet was produced by the HSC to provide employers working in media with information on how the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 affects their work. For example, information was given on areas where smoking may be permitted, complaints relating to workplace smoking, and offences and fines.
Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats: The HSC aims to ensure that New Zealand youth see Smokefree as a desirable lifestyle choice. To reach teen audiences, Smokefree supports relevant youth events, including the Smokefreerockquest and Smokefree Pacifica Beats.
New Zealand Youth Tobacco Monitor (NZYTM): The HSC is working with ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) on the New Zealand Youth Tobacco Monitor. This survey collects information about youth smoking and also about youth exposure to media.
Further sources of information
Studies are increasingly being published in the area of media and youth smoking. We will post relevant literature in this section when further studies come to our attention.
Last updated: 29/8/07.
|
|
