Aims: To examine the possibilities for research into news reporting and its role in reflecting and informing public and political beliefs and action in relation to alcohol and drinking practices.
Method: Studies on media and alcohol, focusing on the role of media in relation to alcohol consumption and drinking-related practices, policies and beliefs.
Results: Most research on alcohol and media has focused on either advertising or entertainment media content, rather than on news reporting and its wider social implications.
Conclusion: The role of news reporting could usefully be widened. We offer a framework for analysing the role of news media in relation to public debate and practice with regard to alcohol and drinking.