Talking about Sustainability: How the Media Construct the Public’s Understanding of Sustainable Food in Romania

Valentina Marinescu, Bianca Fox, Darie Cristea, Daniela Roventa-Frumusani, Ramona Marinache and Silvia Branea
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Valentina Marinescu: Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, 010181 Bucharest, Romania
Bianca Fox: Centre for Academic Development and Quality, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham NG1 4FQ, UK
Darie Cristea: Faculty of Sociology and Social Work, University of Bucharest, 010181 Bucharest, Romania
Daniela Roventa-Frumusani: Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucharest, 061071 Bucharest, Romania
Ramona Marinache: Department of Cultural Studies, University of Bucharest, 010017 Bucharest, Romania
Silvia Branea: Faculty of Journalism and Communication Sciences, University of Bucharest, 061071 Bucharest, Romania

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 9, 1-28

Abstract: Decades of medical research have focused on analysing the effects of sustainable eating on health and well-being; yet, less attention has been devoted to this subject in communication and media studies research. Recently, however, scholarly attention has shifted towards the way sustainable food is covered in the media. Nevertheless, previous studies analyse sustainable food together with other sustainability challenges, such as climate change. In this article, we focus our attention on analysing media reporting of sustainable food. Relying theoretically on the framing analysis approach coupled with Goody’s five-phase analytical framework in building sustainable food-related behaviours (production, distribution, preparation, consumption and disposal) and by applying the rationale of content analysis, this article examines media coverage of sustainable food with a focus on sustainable food production, distribution, preparation, consumption and disposal. Therefore, the article identifies trends and patterns of media coverage of sustainable food in Romania between 2014 and 2017. Interesting results emerge, showing that Romanian journalists reporting on food-related topics do not have a solid understanding of the field and contribute to the spread of inaccurate information often, resulting from insufficient research or inadequate use of sources. As a result of the lack of in-depth knowledge of those involved in writing about food, the media coverage of sustainable food is strictly reduced to reporting on aspects related to the consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables, framed as the only healthy foods, and recommended diets for specific underlying health conditions (such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension and associated diseases).

Keywords: sustainability; media coverage; mediatization; sustainable food; dietary food; sustainable food production (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2021:i:9:p:4609-:d:540209

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