Food risk communication: analysis of the media coverage of food risk on Italian online daily newspapers

Barbara Tiozzo (), Anna Pinto, Federico Neresini, Stefano Sbalchiero, Nicoletta Parise, Mirko Ruzza and Licia Ravarotto
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Barbara Tiozzo: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
Anna Pinto: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
Federico Neresini: University of Padua
Stefano Sbalchiero: University of Padua
Nicoletta Parise: University of Padua
Mirko Ruzza: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie
Licia Ravarotto: Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle Venezie

Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, 2019, vol. 53, issue 6, No 9, 2843-2866

Abstract: Abstract The present study analysed the media coverage of food risk in the online editions of the four leading Italian daily newspapers in order to explore which topics were mainly covered and which aspects were preferably stressed. The media coverage was compared to data published on the RASFF Portal, in order to verify whether the selected sources worked promoting adequate information about food risks, or rather responding to news making criteria. Time series and content analysis were conducted on 2286 food risk news published between 2010 and 2014. The RASFF Portal returned 2697 alert notifications that were analysed and compared with the media coverage results. Findings show that apart from media peaks the selected sources generally cover food risk without much variability. The great majority of RASFF data did not receive specific mention among the news articles analysed, suggesting that the selected sources cover food safety issues responding more to a gate keeping bias. In relation to food incidents that generated major coverage, apart from the 2011 E. coli outbreak, the media were functioning conveying alarmist messages rather than informing and mitigating risks.

Keywords: Food risk; Media coverage; Risk communication; Online daily newspapers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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DOI: 10.1007/s11135-019-00897-3

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