THE ELDERLY IN THE SUNDAY PAPERS: 1963 AND 1983

Abstract

The quantity and quality of age related material published in Sunday editions of daily newspapers in 1963 and 1983 was examined. The sample consisted of 11 papers assigned to 3 circulation groups, 3 metropolitan, 4 large Florida, and 4 small Florida papers. For each year 12 issues per paper were selected for analysis. The amount of age‐related material was determined by measuring the space in square inches that was devoted to aging. The total amount in square inches in the newshole was calculated to permit computation of the relative amount in percent of space on aging. The quality of material on aging was analyzed regarding issue‐event orientation, active‐passive role depiction, age descriptors, and gender presentation. The average total space allocated to aging was approximately one half of 1% in 1963 and three‐fourths of 1% in 1983. There were only slight differences between the groups. Substantial increases in elderly residents in some Florida cities were not reflected in the percentage of news space on aging in the papers serving these cities. The percentage of issue‐oriented articles in the metropolitan group increased from 9% in 1963 to 30% in 1983. There was no increase in the Florida groups. The proportions of active role depiction in articles were similar for the 3 groups in 1963. In 1983 the proportions increased for the metropolitan group and the group of large Florida papers but not for those with small circulation. The majority of articles in each group used chronological age as age descriptors. Both in 1963 and 1983 males were predominantly the subjects of age‐related articles, 74% and 73% respectively. Recommendations for further study are made and implications for education are discussed.