Reflection of Internet’s use as source of health information. Analysis of the spanish general leading newspapers

Abstract

The object of this investigation are the characteristics of the treatment of sources used in health information and their quantitative and qualitative development in the national press. The content analysis of of biosanitary issues in the Spanish general press carriedout by eight months' monitoring of the six largest newspapers, El País, El Mundo, ABC, La Vanguardia , El Periódico de Catalunya and La Razón, provides a useful context for analising the traces that internet leaves the work of the specialised journalist and provides further knowledge on the information chain that involves both the scientific community and laboratories as well as the political power and society. A new breed of lazy journalists and some incresingly active and biased sources are the major threats to the network.