METHODS: A total of 172 articles published in Australian newspapers between 1999 and 2014 were content analysed using a coding framework aimed to define the article descriptors, article prominence, content, slant and guidelines.
RESULTS: The majority (62.2%) of articles were published between 2007 and 2009, the predominant topic being \'the National Health and Medical Research Council guidelines\" with less than two-thirds (59.2%) of the articles mentioning the specific guidelines for reducing alcohol-related harm.
CONCLUSIONS: There was low unpaid print newspaper coverage of the guidelines, which may contribute to low community knowledge of the guidelines. Implications for public health: This study provides a foundation for developing further studies and highlights the need to improve awareness of the guidelines.