Examining Agricultural Journalism in the Context of Food Safety in Türkiye: Comparative Analysis of Newspaper News

Abstract

In this study, the approaches to agricultural journalism of national newspapers in Türkiye were examined in the context of food safety. The sample of the study consists of four national newspapers with different publication policies (Cumhuriyet, Sözcü, Milliyet, and Sabah). In the study, agricultural news articles published between April and October 2024 were examined using the content analysis method. The study revealed that the ideological approaches of the newspapers created significant differences in the presentation of agricultural news. While negative news headlines and a problem-oriented journalism approach are dominant in opposition newspapers, positive news headlines and a solution-oriented approach are prominent in the mainstream media. The most frequent news sources are from state institutions, and news related to non-governmental organizations and farmer organizations are more frequently covered in opposition newspapers. While agricultural policies stand out as the most covered theme, sustainable agriculture and food safety issues are not sufficiently addressed. As conclusions of this study, employment of expert reporters should be increased, regular training should be provided to journalists, news sources should be diversified, and agricultural communication should be addressed within the framework of a national strategy in order to increase the quality of agricultural journalism.

Keywords

• Black cumin
• Seed yield
• Genotype
• Cultivar
• Good agriculture practices (GAP)

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