Risk, media and drinking water: An analysis of the media's construction of the Walkerton risk event

Abstract

The contamination of the local drinking water supplies in Walkerton, Ontario, in May 2000 was a highly publicized public health risk event, where seven people died and 2,300 other individuals became ill. The analysis of the media construction of the Walkerton risk event reveals how the media uses important elements of risk to construct this event. The analysis shows how trust and blame issues are used to create this community, by constructing messages about how the community dealt with this risk event. The analysis also reveals how the media concentrate on the negative aspects of the risk, such as the health issues, that aid in framing the stories in a negative tone. Moreover, the analysis illustrates the relative importance of this risk issue on the Canadian media's agenda, for the duration of the study period. These factors may influence public perceptions of risk regarding drinking water.