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In January the Dietary Supplement Education Alliance (DSEA) released its second report analyzing media coverage of dietary supplements.1 Whereas the results of the first report indicated a surprising amount of positive coverage,2 the latest study found more negative than positive news stories of dietary supplements.1
The new report is based on an analysis of over 7,000 articles from the mainstream media, published or broadcast from July to November of 2006. The articles were acquired through PR Newswire’s analytical tool MediaSense, and an algorithm was used to assess the references and modifiers used in the stories featuring dietary supplements, rating the articles as positive, negative, or neutral.2 According to the results, 22% of stories were considered positive, 29% were judged negative, and 49% were scored as neutral.1 The earlier report, on the other hand, which analyzed 7,061 articles from November 2005 to June 2006, found that 37% of the stories had a positive tone, 21% had a negative tone, and 42% were neutral.2 According to an article published by NPIcenter in January, DSEA planned to present a full report for the year at the conference “Focus on the Future,” held February 1 in Scottsdale, AZ.1
“With this report we are continuing to provide insight into the media’s coverage of our industry,” said Jon Benninger, DSEA board president.1 “This information helps us develop strategies to increase the quantity and improve the tone of media coverage in the future.” The results of the latest analysis indicate that the cost-effectiveness of dietary supplements is not receiving sufficient coverage by the media and that negative perceptions of quality, safety, and efficacy need to be addressed on an ongoing basis.
The results of the first DSEA report about media coverage of dietary supplements were presented at the NBJ/Newport Summit in July of 2006, reported in the Fall issue of the DSEA newsletter “DSEA Update,”2 and covered in last month’s issue of HerbalEGram.3
DSEA was founded in 2001 as a coalition of various trade associations and large companies in the dietary supplement industry in order to promote positive information about the safety and health benefits of dietary supplements, particularly amid the growing perception of inaccurate and misleading reports in the media about their safety and benefits. More at www.supplementinfo.org.
-Courtney Cavaliere
References
1. DSEA releases second report analyzing media coverage. NPIcenter. January 3, 2007. Available at: http://www.npicenter.com/anm/templates/newsATemp.aspx?articleid=17328&zoneid=2. Accessed January 25, 2007.
2. DSEA presents media analysis at Newport Summit. DSEA Update. Fall 2006. Available at: http://www.supplementinfo.org/newsletter/dsea_update/fall2006_newsletter.html. Accessed January 26, 2007.
3. Cavaliere C. DSEA media analysis reveals surprisingly positive news coverage of dietary supplements. January 2007;4(1). Available at: http://www.herbalgram.org/default.asp?c=dseamedia. Accessed January 26, 2007.
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