Appalachian Ky. newspapers emphasized political voices in coverage of Obamacare in 2 months before exchange opened

Newspaper readers in Appalachian Kentucky rarely had the opportunity to
read factual, impartial information about health-care reform in the two months
before the new health-insurance system opened for enrollment.

That is among the preliminary findings of an ongoing study by the
Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, part of the School of
Journalism and Telecommunications at the University of Kentucky and publisher of Kentucky Health News. The research found that coverage was
dominated by opinions of public officials, largely those opposed to the law.

The research examined most newspapers in one of the unhealthiest and
poorest regions of the country to see how well they were preparing their
communities for a huge change in the health-insurance system. For the story by UK student Justin Richter, click here.