OBJECTIVES:The objective of this study was to describe and analyze national network television news framing of the scope and impact of the opioid crisis in the United States (US).

METHODS: We obtained national network television news segments covering the opioid crisis from January 2000 to August 2020 from the Vanderbilt Television News Archive. The database was queried based on specific keywords: opioid epidemic, oxycontin, heroin, fentanyl, and naloxone. Commercial segments were excluded. We performed a retrospective content analysis in which two independent reviewers quantitatively coded segments for numerous characteristics, including main theme, geographic location, specific opioids mentioned, strategies for combatting the epidemic discussed, interviews conducted, patient demographics, and graphic imagery depicted. Additionally, we analyzed changes in segment characteristics over time (i.e, 2000-2005, 2006-2010, 2011-2015, and 2016-2020) using chi-square analysis.

RESULTS: Out of 209 segments reviewed, 12 were excluded due to their lack of focus on the opioid crisis and file inaccessibility. Intercoder reliabilities for each characteristic, as assessed by Cohen’s Kappa, ranged from 0.7-1. News segments most commonly provided an overview of the opioid epidemic (56%) and/or conveyed personal stories (39%). Prescription opioids (59%) and heroin (63%) were more often referenced than fentanyl (17%). The most frequently interviewed people included OUD patients (46%), healthcare providers (36%), family members/friends (31%), and law enforcement (31%). Coverage of the crisis peaked in 2016. The proportion of news segments that discussed strategies to address the opioid epidemic and fentanyl significantly increased from 2000-2005 (2% and 2%, respectively) to 2016-2020 (13% and 11%, respectively, p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: National television networks have frequently utilized personal stories to put a face on the opioid crisis and have increasingly discussed strategies to combat it. Through media coverage, the general population may become more aware and educated about the impact of the crisis in the US.