Gary E. Briers

Metro News Journalists Critique Food Biotechnology

The results of this study may encourage researchers, educators, and industry professionals to change behavior and to collaborate with journalists and the social institution of mass media to inform consumers about food biotechnology. Eighty-eight journalists for 65 of the nation’s largest newspapers provided data for the study. Major findings were as follows: journalists’ knowledge of food biotechnology was relatively low; most journalists considered genetic modification of plants as “acceptable,” and journalists had greatest faith in “university scientists” as sources. Too, “Writers” rather than “Editors” had greater acceptance of genetically modified organisms, greater faith in sources, and less fear of using biotechnology to produce food. Creative Commons License This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License. This research is available in Journal of Applied Communications: http://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol83/iss2/2 22 / Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 83, No. 2, 1999 Metro News Journalists Critique Food Biotechnology Tom A. Vestal Gary E. Briers Abstract The results of this study may encourage researchers, educators, and industry professionals to change behavior and to collaborate with journalists and the social institution of mass media to inform consumers about food biotechnology. Eighty-eight journalists for 65 of the nation’s largest newspapers provided data for the study. Major findings were as follows: journalists’ knowledge of food biotechnology was relatively low; most journalists considered genetic modification of plants as “acceptable,” and journalists had greatest faith in “university scientists” as sources. Too, “Writers” rather than “Editors” had greater acceptance of genetically modified organisms, greater faith in sources, and less fear of using biotechnology to produce food.The results of this study may encourage researchers, educators, and industry professionals to change behavior and to collaborate with journalists and the social institution of mass media to inform consumers about food biotechnology. Eighty-eight journalists for 65 of the nation’s largest newspapers provided data for the study. Major findings were as follows: journalists’ knowledge of food biotechnology was relatively low; most journalists considered genetic modification of plants as “acceptable,” and journalists had greatest faith in “university scientists” as sources. Too, “Writers” rather than “Editors” had greater acceptance of genetically modified organisms, greater faith in sources, and less fear of using biotechnology to produce food. Most agricultural innovations are marketed to the users of the technology—farmers; thus, there is little effort to inform consumers. Food biotechnology, however, differs because consumers perceive it to affect the food they eat (Hoban, 1996). This direct effect launches food biotechnology into a public discourse, one that is often played out in the media (Peterson, 1996). Rogers (1983) found that mass media are the primary source that increase people’s awareness about agriculture. Mass media have great influence on public Tom A Vestal is Extension Specialist and State Coordinator for the AgriFood Education Program sponsored by the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. The fund for Excellence in Agricultural Education at Texas A&M solicited funding from agribusiness supporters. A research paper covering this study was presented orally to the Divisions of Agricultural Communications and Agricultural Education during the Southern Association of Agricultural Scientists research meetings in Memphis, Tennessee, on February 1, 1999. The authors are not present members of ACE. 1 Vestal and Briers: Metro News Journalists Critique Food Biotechnology Published by New Prairie Press, 2017 Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 83, No. 2, 1999 / 23 perception, which Rogers calls the Hypodermic Needle Model. According to the model, media “direct immediate and powerful effects” (p. 272) by figuratively injecting information into society. Researchers in this study wanted to know journalists’ knowledge, attitudes and perceptions of food biotechnology. Literature Base Agriculture is perceived by most consumers as slow-paced and sustaining. Consumers may not know the rapid rate of change that biotechnology has brought to agriculture. The United States (U.S.) Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture, and Environmental Protection Agency approved the first genetically modified seed for commercial row crop production in 1996. Dispersed throughout approximately 400 million U.S. crop acres, genetically modified seed was planted by farmers on an estimated 5 million, 30 million and 60 million acres during 1996, 1997 and 1998 respectively (NABCl, 1998). A major concern (Naisbitt, 1990) is meaningful dialogue, in lay terms, with end-users (consumers) of the technology. Hallman (1995) measured consumer perceptions by asking consumers about the term “genetic engineering.” About 20% of consumers responded negatively: “frightened,” “escaping virus,” “Nazi/Hitler,” “mutants,” and “mad scientist.” Four percent mentioned “medical advances,” “better food,” or “progress”; and 25% of the consumers responded neutrally with answers such as: “DNA,” “plants,” or “people.” To learn how journalists and scientists felt about one another, Chappell and Hart (1998) sampled 4,000 journalists and scientists. They found that neither group believed it was doing a good job of explaining science to the public. They concluded that those transferring scientific information to the public should engage in systematic, continuing education exposing them to scientists and research processes. According to the literature, it is important for biotechnology researchers, educators, and industry professionals to collaborate with journalists to enhance their collective efforts to inform the public about food biotechnology. Research Objectives The research objectives were: 1. To investigate and determine the knowledge, attitudes, and perceptions held by metropolitan journalists regarding food biotechnology; 2 Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 83 [1999], Iss. 2, Art. 2 http://newprairiepress.org/jac/vol83/iss2/2 DOI: 10.4148/1051-0834.2139 24 / Journal of Applied Communications, Vol. 83, No. 2, 1999 2. to investigate the relationship among knowledge, attitudes/ perceptions regarding food biotechnology, and selected personal and situational characteristics of journalists.

Through Student Eyes: Perceptions and Aspirations of Students from the Armenian State Agrarian University and Selected European Universities

Abstract This research compared attributes of students enrolled in the Armenian State Agrarian University (ASAU) with university students from 30 European countries (EFMD) about graduate study policy issues. A cross-national comparative design used a survey questionnaire to explore contextual, social and cultural phenomena. Samples included 801 ASAU and 3,265 EFMD students. Demographics of samples were similar. Students were largely unaware of the Bologna reforms and the impact on study abroad. Slightly more than half of EFMD participants were in a bachelors programme compared to 96% of ASAU students. ASAU students held a more pragmatic rationale for foreign study, ranking ‘advancing professional careers’ as the top reason, while EFMD students chose ‘overall experience’. Obstacles included bureaucracy, funding and accommodations. Although groups had similar geographical preferences for foreign study, Eastern Europe was more preferred by ASAU students. Half of the EFMD students planned graduate enrollment ‘immediately following the degree’ compared to one-quarter of ASAU students. Half of the EFMD students were aware of mobility scholarships compared to three-quarters of ASAU students. One in two EFMD students reported university media rankings important compared to one in seven ASAU students. The Bologna Declaration accelerated horizontal collaboration among European universities. Students have a larger collective voice in curriculum change. The findings of this research provide a better understanding of student aspirations, motivations, expectations and barriers. These findings can contribute to guiding policies and procedures for recruitment, admission, retention and mobility.

Research Themes, Authors, and Methodologies in the Journal of Applied Communications: A Ten-Year Overview

The Journal of Applied Communications ( JAC) has been a primary outlet of agricultural communications research and professional scholarship—a claim validated by a survey of professionals in the field. The purpose of this study was to assess ten years of JAC to determine primary and secondary research themes, frequent primary and secondary research themes by year, prolific authorship, and research methods and types reported, using a mixed-methods design. Analyzed in the study were 91 research and/or professional articles with research methodologies published from 1997 through 2006. The research identified twenty-one primary research theme areas and 28 secondary research theme areas. A compiled list of primary and secondary research theme areas and frequent themes identified by year are reported. JAC authors were identified totaling 222 contributors; Tracy Irani and Ricky Telg (13.2%) were the most prolific authors. A majority of the articles (65.9%) employed quantitative research methods, and survey methodology (47.3%) was the most common data collection measure. Research themes appear cyclic, with specific themes moving in and out of primary and secondary areas, which may contribute to research theme diversity. Research must continue to determine whether cycles exist; if cycles do indeed exist then focus should be placed on determining cycle depth and the influence on research in agricultural communications as an integrated specialization area of agricultural education. This research should be used comparatively with priority areas identified in the National Research Agenda: Agricultural Education and Communication, 2007–2010, to determine where future research might be focused.