Policy Evaluation of Policy Attention with Media Framing Effects in Biomedical Controversy Coverage

Authors

  • Henry Perez School of English and Theatre Studies, College of Social and Applied Human Sciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, Canada Author

Keywords:

Media Framing, Policy Attention, Biomedical Controversy, Policy Evaluation, Multidisciplinary Research

Abstract

The rapid advancement of biomedical technologies has introduced unprecedented ethical, social, and economic dilemmas, frequently manifesting as highly visible public controversies. As these debates unfold, the mass media plays a critical role in framing the issues, thereby shaping public perception and influencing the allocation of policy attention. This study investigates the complex dynamics between media framing effects and subsequent policy attention, specifically utilizing policy evaluation as a critical mechanism in the context of biomedical controversy coverage. By analyzing a comprehensive corpus of news articles and legislative documents over a fifteen-year period, this research traces how specific media frames—namely ethical, economic, scientific progress, and risk frames—predict fluctuations in regulatory focus. Through advanced natural language processing and time-series analysis, the study demonstrates that media coverage emphasizing ethical risks exerts a disproportionately strong agenda-setting effect, triggering rapid policy evaluation and legislative responses. Furthermore, the findings indicate that the alignment between media narratives and existing policy evaluation frameworks significantly accelerates the transition from public discourse to formal policy attention. This research contributes to the broader literature on media effects and policy processes by providing empirical evidence of how complex biomedical issues are translated into actionable policy agendas through the mediating role of media framing.

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Published

2026-03-30

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