Printattu hyvinvointivaltio: Sosiaali- ja terveyspoliittisten aiheiden käsittely Ilkassa, Aamulehdessä ja Helsingin Sanomissa 1986, 1996 ja 2006.

This article examines the coverage of social and health policy issues in three major Finnish newspapers, i.e. Ilkka, Aamulehti, and Helsingin Sanomat, in 1986 1996, and 2006. The empirical data consist of 186 articles published during the first two weeks of February in each year. The data are analysed by means of quantitative content analysis and qualitative discourse analysis. Ever since the 1980s the political and other elite in Finland has shown a growing tendency towards neo-liberal thinking. Although Finland still remains a Scandinavian welfare state, a more market-oriented style of government and planning is challenging its basic elements, such as the principles of universalism. As part of the neoliberal era, some politicians have suggested that the socalled third sector (NGOs, voluntary work and charity) be given greater responsibility for the production and provision of welfare services. In short, the tax-funded welfare state is coming under increasing challenge. This article aims to find out whether this challenge affects the media coverage of social and health policy issues. The main finding is that the three newspapers support the current situation, i.e. the tax-funded welfare state. Their reporting on social and health policy seems to have remained mainly untouched by neo-liberalism. However, the coverage of the three newspapers varies widely and their articles (even news) are closely in line with their respective ideological and political positions. Among the three dailies, the largest number of articles (91) was published by Helsingin Sanomat, which also shows the strongest support for the welfare state. Although not politically affiliated, its ideological position could best be described as social democratic, at least as far as social policy issues are concerned. The ideological position ofAamulehti is more right-wing: in 1986 and 1996 it ran several articles that heavily criticised the strong role played by the state in Finnish society. Taxes were framed negatively almost without exception, and this was also the case in many articles concerning the social security system. Echoes of a rural, religious past still resound on the pages of Ilkka. Ideologically close to the Centre Party, it also maintains Christian values on the agenda. Among the newspapers studied here, IIkka had the largest number and proportion of articles about charity. Many of these articles were in one way or another related to the church. The three newspapers present a surprisingly different picture of social and health policy issues, even though the samples of articles were collected from the same period. The ideological differences have become less pronounced since 1986, but they have certainly not disappeared. The findings of the article support a constructivist interpretation of social policy coverage. Although some basic presuppositions are shared, each newspaper seems to have its own social political reality that it conveys to its readers. This also carries a message to politicians: the understanding of social and health policy is not as monolithic and unanimous as it may sometimes appear in the light of politicians' pragmatic discourse, but rather it is complex and diverse and involves several alternatives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]