This paper argues that journalists’ discursive actions in an outbreak context manifest in identifiable rhetorical motifs, which in turn influence the delivery of biomedical information by the media in such a context. Via a critical approach grounded in rhetorical theory, I identified three distinct rhetorical motifs influencing the reportage of health information in the early days of the H1N1 outbreak. A public-health motif was exhibited in texts featuring a particular health official and offering the statements of such an official as a mechanism of reassurance. A concealment-of-information motif was exhibited in texts emphasizing the importance of the transparency of health officials, and in texts demonstrating ambivalence about information provided by socially-sanctioned sources. Finally, in texts mythologizing the outbreak to the exclusion of other functions of the text (e.g., conveying who is at risk, protective behaviours, symptoms), I identified a pandemic motif. Each motif differs in the conclusions it offers to audiences seeking to gauge relative levels of risk, and to receive information about protective behaviours. I suggest that one means of interpreting the manifestation of distinct rhetorical motifs in the context of a high-risk health threat is the certainty that this context alters moral responsibilities, consequently influencing the manifestation of narrative role.

中文翻译：

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流行病故事：记者对生物医学风险报道的修辞主题

本文认为，记者在疫情背景下的话语行为体现在可识别的修辞主题中，这反过来又影响了媒体在这种背景下对生物医学信息的传递。通过以修辞理论为基础的批判性方法，我确定了三个不同的修辞主题，这些主题影响了 H1N1 爆发初期的健康信息报道。在以特定卫生官员为特色的文本中展示了公共卫生主题，并提供该官员的声明作为一种保证机制。在强调卫生官员透明度重要性的文本中，以及在对社会认可来源提供的信息表现出矛盾心理的文本中，都展示了隐藏信息的主题。最后，在将爆发神话化以排除文本的其他功能（例如，传达谁处于危险之中、保护行为、症状）的文本中，我确定了一个大流行主题。每个主题的不同之处在于它为寻求衡量相对风险水平和接收有关保护行为信息的观众提供的结论。我建议在高风险健康威胁的背景下解释不同修辞主题表现的一种方法是确定这种背景会改变道德责任，从而影响叙事角色的表现。并接收有关保护行为的信息。我建议在高风险健康威胁的背景下解释不同修辞主题表现的一种方法是确定这种背景会改变道德责任，从而影响叙事角色的表现。并接收有关保护行为的信息。我建议在高风险健康威胁的背景下解释不同修辞主题表现的一种方法是确定这种背景会改变道德责任，从而影响叙事角色的表现。