The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry
Public perception of livestock industries and consumer trust in farmers can affect consumer behaviour and impact on social license to farm. Coincidental with a large random telephone survey of Australian public attitudes and behaviour towards the red meat industry, a media campaign exposing animal c...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2020-04-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/4/619 |
| _version_ | 1797571512635490304 |
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| author | Maxine Rice Lauren M. Hemsworth Paul H. Hemsworth Grahame J. Coleman |
| author_facet | Maxine Rice Lauren M. Hemsworth Paul H. Hemsworth Grahame J. Coleman |
| author_sort | Maxine Rice |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Public perception of livestock industries and consumer trust in farmers can affect consumer behaviour and impact on social license to farm. Coincidental with a large random telephone survey of Australian public attitudes and behaviour towards the red meat industry, a media campaign exposing animal cruelty in live export of sheep by sea, occurred. Data collected from the nationwide survey of the public attitudes immediately before (n = 278 respondents) and after (n = 224 respondents) this media campaign was utilised in the present study to examine the effects of the media campaign on the public. In general, respondents’ attitudes towards the red meat industry were positive. Independent t-tests revealed no significant differences between those respondents that completed the survey before or after the 60 Minutes programme in their concern for sheep or beef cattle welfare, attitudes to red meat farming, acceptability of the red meat industry or their trust in farmers in the red meat industry. However, prior to the media campaign, respondents believed sheep to be more comfortable when transported by boats than did respondents who completed the survey after the media campaign. More respondents after the 60 Minutes programme cited social and internet media as a source of information. Therefore, despite the wide media coverage associated with the 60 Minutes programme, these results indicate little effect on the public’s attitudes towards farm animal welfare and the red meat industry. The significant impacts of the programme were reflected in increased community discussion, increased social media activity and an increase in the perceived importance of conditions aboard boats used for live sheep transport. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:41:56Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-60a457508bfe4e03a59ba018ab84df6f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T20:41:56Z |
| publishDate | 2020-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-60a457508bfe4e03a59ba018ab84df6f2023-11-19T20:38:15ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152020-04-0110461910.3390/ani10040619The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat IndustryMaxine Rice0Lauren M. Hemsworth1Paul H. Hemsworth2Grahame J. Coleman3Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaAnimal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaAnimal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaAnimal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, AustraliaPublic perception of livestock industries and consumer trust in farmers can affect consumer behaviour and impact on social license to farm. Coincidental with a large random telephone survey of Australian public attitudes and behaviour towards the red meat industry, a media campaign exposing animal cruelty in live export of sheep by sea, occurred. Data collected from the nationwide survey of the public attitudes immediately before (n = 278 respondents) and after (n = 224 respondents) this media campaign was utilised in the present study to examine the effects of the media campaign on the public. In general, respondents’ attitudes towards the red meat industry were positive. Independent t-tests revealed no significant differences between those respondents that completed the survey before or after the 60 Minutes programme in their concern for sheep or beef cattle welfare, attitudes to red meat farming, acceptability of the red meat industry or their trust in farmers in the red meat industry. However, prior to the media campaign, respondents believed sheep to be more comfortable when transported by boats than did respondents who completed the survey after the media campaign. More respondents after the 60 Minutes programme cited social and internet media as a source of information. Therefore, despite the wide media coverage associated with the 60 Minutes programme, these results indicate little effect on the public’s attitudes towards farm animal welfare and the red meat industry. The significant impacts of the programme were reflected in increased community discussion, increased social media activity and an increase in the perceived importance of conditions aboard boats used for live sheep transport.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/4/619public attitudesbehaviourmedia, live export, animal welfare, red meat industry |
| spellingShingle | Maxine Rice Lauren M. Hemsworth Paul H. Hemsworth Grahame J. Coleman The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry Animals public attitudes behaviour media, live export, animal welfare, red meat industry |
| title | The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry |
| title_full | The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry |
| title_short | The Impact of a Negative Media Event on Public Attitudes Towards Animal Welfare in the Red Meat Industry |
| title_sort | impact of a negative media event on public attitudes towards animal welfare in the red meat industry |
| topic | public attitudes behaviour media, live export, animal welfare, red meat industry |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/10/4/619 |
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