False Balance in Public Health Reporting? Michele Bachmann, the HPV Vaccine, and “Mental Retardation”

This content analysis of media coverage of Michele Bachmann’s erroneous comments that the HPV vaccine causes mental retardation explores the relationship between truth-telling (the presentation of accurate information) and balance (presenting opposing perspectives of an issue equally and legitimately) in public health reporting. Of 200 articles analyzed, about 50% provided correction and about 40% provided a counterpoint. We also found that health reporters tended to engage in truth-telling and balance more than political reporters. Implications for theory and practice are discussed.