Canada on the Move: an intensive media analysis from inception to reception.

Background: Research evaluating mediated physical activity campaigns uses an unsophisticated conceptualization of the media and would benefit from the application of a media studies approach. The purpose of this article is to report on the application of this type of analysis to the Canada on the Move media campaign. Methods: Through interviews and document analysis, the press release surrounding Canada on the Move was examined at four levels: inception, production, transmission and reception. Analytic strategies of thematic and textual analysis were conducted. Results and Conclusion: The press release was well received by journalists and editors and was successfully transmitted as inferred from national and local television coverage, although there was no national print pickup. Canada on the Move was perceived by sampled audience members as a useful and interesting strategy to encourage walking. A holistic approach to media analysis reveals the complex and frequently messy process of this mediated communication process. Implications for future media disseminations of Canada on the Move are discussed. MeSH terms: Media; holistic media analysis; physical activity The news media play a critical role in shaping public understanding of the relationship between health and physical activity. It is rare for researchers to have the opportunity to fully evaluate the media process. Canada on the Move (COTM) provided the unique chance to consider the role of the news media and also the perceptions of the media and the audience of a specific research initiative. The purpose of this article is to report on the application of a media studies approach to the analysis of COTM. In general, much analysis in this area has been concerned with the accuracy of media content. Focussing in this narrow manner on media messages ignores the complex process of communication (or “circuit of culture”)1 and the socially constructed nature of news messages.2,3 In contrast, a media analysis approach moves from a simplistic conceptualization of media institutions, media messages and the audience to a more complex analysis of the meaning construction that occurs in the initial creation and encoding of messages to their decoding, consumption and negotiation by the audience. The study of physical activity in the media requires such an approach.4 This approach consists of four levels of media analysis, which were applied to understanding the media coverage of COTM.5 First, the inception of the message is the process of discussion and debate involved in the formation of a strategic communication plan. For instance, this meant asking specific questions about how the press release was created, who was involved and what factors shaped its final composition. Second, the production of the message examines the content of the message itself and the role of sources, journalists and editors. At this level, we wanted to speak to members of the press who were involved in the reporting of COTM to understand its newsworthiness. Third, transmission of the message examines both the reach of the media, but also the impact that media outlets have on the meaning of the message. How much coverage did the press release for COTM generate? Did this coverage differ by medium or location? The fourth and final level is that of reception and the analysis of the social and cultural contexts influencing the meaning audiences construct from media texts. Ultimately, the purpose of a press release is to inform, and it is only through asking 1. Faculty of Physical Education and Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON 2. Centre for Visual and Media Culture, University of Toronto at Mississauga Correspondence and reprint requests: Guy Faulkner, 55 Harbord St., Toronto, ON M5S 2W6, Tel: 416-946-7949, Fax: 416-971-2118, E-mail: guy.faulkner@utoronto.ca Source of support: This study was supported by a research grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Institute of Nutrition, Metabolism and Diabetes (INMD).