Media coverage of medical decision making at the end-of-life: a Belgian case study (accepted)

This article presents a content analysis of Belgian media coverage of end-of-life decision- making. We examine a selection of press articles and the differences among media genres in covering the issue. In general terms, we found an over-reporting of euthanasia; a focus on dying processes resulting from cancer and Alzheimer's disease; and an attention to political discussions and political voices, which outnumber patient voices. In genre-specific terms, unlike mainstream media, niche media reported less mediagenic aspects of the end of life. Finally, although popular mainstream media focus on personal aspects of the end-of-life, elite mainstream media privilege political aspects.