Groot, Shiloh Ann MareeNgata, RonaldHodgetts, DarrinNikora, Linda WaimarieKarapu, RolindaChamberlain, Kerry2008-10-312008-10-312007Groot, S., Ngata, R., Hodgetts, D., Nikora, L. W., Karapu, R. & Chamberlain, K. (2007). Māori and community news constructions of Meningococcal B: The promotion of a moral obligation to vaccinate. New Zealand Journal of Media Studies, 10(2), 71-90.https://hdl.handle.net/10289/1226News media communicate various risks of disease, showcase medical breakthroughs and disseminate texts that both reflect and renegotiate shared cultural understandings of health and illness. Little is known about the role of Māori and community news media in the social negotiation of health and illness in Aotearoa. To address this gap in the literature, this paper reports findings from a study of news reporting on Meningococcal B by the Māori Television Service and two community newspapers serving Māori communities. Findings document how news works to position vaccination as a ‘common sense’ practice that whānau have a moral obligation to undergo. Neglected are wider socio-structural considerations that impact the prevalence of illness among Māori.application/pdfenThis article is published in the Journal New Zealand Journal of Media Studies. ©2007 New Zealand Journal of Media Studies. Used with permission.psychologyMaorimediahealthJournal Article