Agricultural Communications Students' Awareness And Perceptions Of Biotechnology Issues

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine college students '

Knowledge, Attitudes and Behavioral Intentions of Agricultural Professionals Toward Genetically Modified (GM) Foods: A Case Study in Southwest Iran

“…Several studies (Fritz et al 2003;Wingenbach et al 2003;Aerni 2005) support our findings showing that "scholars" and "well-known people in society"…”

“…The findings can be supported by Fritz et al's (2003) study that showed that the Americans mostly use newspapers, internet, and scientific magazines to develop their knowledge about GM crops. Agricultural students in Wingenbach's (2003) study introduced some courses, laboratories and the scientific members of their faculty as their main reference information resources with regard to GM crops. Some studies (Wheeler 2005;Xi and Harris 2006) showed that agricultural experts mainly use radio, TV, and newspapers to receive information regarding GM crops.…”

Impact of Reporter Work Role Identity on News Story Source Selection: Implications for Coverage of Agricultural Crises

“…Other studies concentrating on relationships between specialty-beat reporters and their sources found that such reporters often use the same sources con-Research tinually, building strong bonds with them (Chermak, 1995;Dunwoody, 1979;Gandy, 1982;Holland, 2009;Ten Eyck, 2000) and often focusing almost exclusively on institutional representatives who may be depended upon to furnish information (Ericson, Baranek, & Chan, 1993;Sumpter & Braddock, 2002). Other researchers have called for media to concentrate to an even greater extent on scientists as sources for complex stories (Dunwoody, Brossard & Dudo, 2009;Holland, 2009;Ramsey, 1999), although they note that a reporter's ability to deal effectively with such expert sources may depend heavily upon that reporter's science training (Grantham & Irani, 2004;Vestal & Briers, 1999;Wingenbach, Rutherford, & Dunsford, 2003).…”

“…The fact that in this study no differences in coverage were found between science-specialty-beat reporters and other types of reporters should provoke trenchant questions from both scholars and journalists. Such questions might include whether science-specialty-beat reporters indeed can provide more comprehensive and informative coverage of science-intensive stories and, if not, whether their failure lies in low-levels of science literacy (King, Cartmell & Sitton, 2006) rooted in inadequate training (Vestal & Briers, 1999;Whitaker & Dyer, 2000;Wingenbach, Rutherford, & Dunsford, 2003) or in newsroom institutions that do not accommodate the exercise of their talents and skills (Chermak, 1995;Dunwoody, 1980;Gandy, 1982). In addition, relationships explored in the current study may be extrapolated and tested with regard to breaking news coverage of other agricultural crises, for example, Avian flu outbreaks or the 2008 salmonella outbreaks in the U.S.…”

“…Previous research has called upon the media to provide more in-depth information for the public, especially about topics involving science, through encouraging reporters to attain increased levels of scientific literacy in order to provide more such in-depth coverage (King, Cartmell, & Sitton, 2006). Researchers recommend accessing experts as sources of science information as one way to counteract reporters' lack of expertise about such matters (Heinrichs & Peters, 2004;Ramsey, 1999;Whaley & Tucker, 2004), but increased scientific and agricultural literacy on the part of reporters is almost surely needed to choose expert sources wisely (Vestal & Briers, 1999;Whitaker & Dyer, 2000;Wingenbach, Rutherford, & Dunsford, 2003).…”