A study on media articulation of HIV/AIDS epidemic in Himachal Pradesh Dr. Singh Dhyan Assistant Professor, Journalism & Mass Communication, Govt. PG College Dharamshala, India, dsinghjmc@gmail.com Online published on 17 July, 2017. Abstract India is ranked third highest country in the globe living with HIV/AIDS victims in the South Africa and Nigeria but the people attaining lowest awareness about the pandemic. It is estimated that of all AIDS-related deaths in Asia, 51% happen in India (UNAIDS, 2014). Though, HIV cases among young people have declined by half in India (UNAIDS, 2011) but unfortunately, some of the Indian states have been witnessing a dramatic growth in the HIV/AIDS rates. Himachal Pradesh is one of them (Indian states) which has 12 districts, and 6.8 million populations had 9, 139 HIV positive cases and 3, 300 AIDS patients in March 2016. And according to the medical experts, the prime root of spreading the viral is 90–95 per cent by blood transfusion. Until 2013 Lauhal and Spiti was the only district where the disease had not been reported, but in 2014 four new cases of HIV were found. Creating awareness about the HIV/AIDS preventions is the only way to minimize the rates, and in this regard, mass media play a significant role. Two most highly circulated newspaper dailies were selected as the sample for the study. Based on an ethnographic content analysis of 39 stories, divided into five episodes and analyzed thematically, it was found that the coverage of HIV/AIDS in the newspapers was low and the nature and tone of the reporting the disease was not fair and sensitive. The information provided to the readers was sometimes incorrect and sensationalized. Top Keywords Print Media, HIV/AIDS, Himachal, Preventions, etc. Top |