Title
This Little Piggy Went to Press: The American News Media's Construction of Animals in Agriculture
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2009
Abstract
This textual analysis examines the representations of farmed animals in national print and broadcast news discourse in over 100 stories published from 2000-2003. Findings show these American news media largely support the speciesist status quo by favoring elite viewpoints and failing to provide balance. Although exceptions are provided, news media often objectify nonhuman animals discursively through: 1) commodification, 2) failure to acknowledge their emotional perspectives, and 3) failure to describe them as inherently-valuable individuals.
Recommended Citation
Freeman, C. P. (2009). "This Little Piggy Went to Press: The American News Media's Construction of Animals in Agriculture." The Communication Review, 12(1), 78 -103.
Included in
Critical and Cultural Studies Commons, Journalism Studies Commons, Mass Communication Commons, Other Communication Commons, Social Influence and Political Communication Commons
Comments
This is an electronic version of an article published in The Communication Review, Vol. 12 Iss. 1, 2009, pp. 78-103. The Communication Review is available online at: http://www.tandfonline.com/openurl?genre=article&issn=1071-4421&volume=12&issue=1&spage=78.
DOI:10.1080/10714420902717764