EXPLORING KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES AND PERCEPTIONS OF NEWSPAPER JOURNALISTS IN METROPOLITAN MARKETS IN THE UNITED STATES REGARDING FOOD BIOTECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Mass media are the primary source that increases people 's awareness about agriculture and are an important resource for the diffusion of innovations. Educating journalists is important because journalists play a significant role in shaping public perceptions. The public has a stake in the outcomes of science because of the social, economic and environmental implications of innovations; therefore, a scientifically literate public is important to a democracy. This descriptive study may encourage agricultural educators who work in the contexts of extension education and agricultural communications to collaborate with journalists and the social institution of mass media to inform consumers about food biotechnology. Eighty-eight journalists for 62 of the nation's largest metropolitan newspapers provided data for the study. Major findings and recommendations are as follows: journalists’ knowledge of food biotechnology was relatively low; most journalists considered genetic modification of plants as “acceptable " and of animals as “somewhat acceptable," and journalists had greatest faith in "university scientists” as sources. Journalists perceived genes moving to other organisms, food safety, and environmental harm as obstacles to the acceptance of biotechnology innovations. These journalists considered that farmers would accept food biotechnology as a farm practice within three years while consumer acceptance would take almost eight years.