Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Box: 134 Document Number: D11401
Notes:
30 pages., Online via website., "Despite the growing use of genetically modified crops over the past 20 years, most Americans say they know only a little about GM foods. And many people appear to hold 'soft' views about the health effects of GM foods, saying they are not sure about whether such foods are better or worse for one's health. ... a majority of Americans perceive disagreement in the scientific community over whether or not GM foods are safe to eat. And, only a minority of Americans perceive scientists as having a strong understanding of the health risks and benefits of GM foods."
17 pages., As the United States grapples with increasingly partisan media and affective polarization, how do cultural and political fault lines filter into residents’ daily lives, and how are they navigated? This case study of a region within a red state uses a communication infrastructure theory framework to examine how this political context affects residents’ relationships with media and their larger community storytelling networks. Through a series of focus groups, story diaries, and interviews with residents and local journalists, it explores whether shared communication resources remain and the potential for creating spaces for dialogue across political and demographic divides. Findings illustrate how residents negotiate interpersonal relationships, community spaces, and local and national media in a polarized communication context. The study highlights the importance of recognizing place-based identities and media representations to facilitate trust in journalism and points to possible responses for local news and community engagement.
19 pages., Online via UI e-subscription., Authors examined impacts of efforts by Report for America (RFA) to strengthen the capacity of local news and increase trust from the perspective of two communities: a neighborhood on Chicago's West Side and a rural county in eastern Kentucky. Findings illustrated "the influence of place and power dynamics on how residents navigate trustworthiness factors." They also revealed lack of feedback loops to provide coverage for communities.
Agricultural Communications Documentation Center, Funk Library, University of Illinois Document Number: D07708
Notes:
News release from Rhea+Kaiser, Naperville, Illinois, online via AgriMarketing Weekly. 2 pages., To agri-marketers: Don't mess with farmers' relationship with, and trust of, the agricultural media.
Report of a presentation by Brant Houston at the Midwest Regional Workshop co-sponsored by American Agricultural Editors' Association and the Livestock Publications Council in Ankeny, Iowa, on May 15, 2014.
Examines the role of trust in shaping public knowledge about, risk perception of, and protective behaviours resulting from this product tampering incident in Xi'an, China.
15 pages, via online journal article, Scientist-stakeholder partnerships are formed by scientists from academic institutions and industry representatives in an effort to address contingent science issues such as climate change, inform the public and influence public policies. Such organizations often lack expertise in communicating to the public and conducting outreach which are crucial components to building a good reputation. This study selected Florida Water and Climate Alliance [FWCA] as an example of such an organization, exploring its media attention and media framing to assess the visibility and reputation of [FWCA]. Results showed very limited media attention had been devoted to [FWCA]. The framing analysis results indicated that the coverage of [FWCA] is mostly introductory and descriptive information from public institutions, collaborators and funding agencies. These results demonstrate the need for such organizations to increase media visibility and build their reputations through strategic communication. Scientist-stakeholder partnership organizations like FWCA could gain from strategic collaborations with agricultural communications professionals and academic researchers. To better assist in building the reputation for these organizations, recommendations include developing strategic communication plans and conducting research about stakeholders’ and collaborators’ perceptions of an organization’s reputation.
