Rice Maxine, Hemsworth Lauren M, Hemsworth Paul H, Coleman Grahame J
Animal Welfare Science Centre, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
Animals (Basel). 2020 Apr 3;10(4):619. doi: 10.3390/ani10040619.
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.
公众对畜牧业的认知以及消费者对农民的信任会影响消费者行为，并对养殖的社会许可产生影响。在对澳大利亚公众对红肉行业的态度和行为进行大规模随机电话调查的同时，一场媒体运动曝光了通过海路活羊出口中的动物虐待行为。本研究利用在这场媒体运动之前（n = 278名受访者）和之后（n = 224名受访者）从全国公众态度调查中收集的数据，来检验媒体运动对公众的影响。总体而言，受访者对红肉行业的态度是积极的。独立t检验显示，在《60分钟时事杂志》节目之前或之后完成调查的受访者，在对绵羊或肉牛福利的关注、对红肉养殖的态度、红肉行业的可接受性或他们对红肉行业农民的信任方面，没有显著差异。然而，在媒体运动之前，受访者认为绵羊乘船运输时比媒体运动之后完成调查的受访者感觉更舒适。在《60分钟时事杂志》节目之后，更多受访者将社交和互联网媒体作为信息来源。因此，尽管与《60分钟时事杂志》节目相关的媒体报道广泛，但这些结果表明，该节目对公众对农场动物福利和红肉行业的态度影响不大。该节目的重大影响体现在社区讨论增加、社交媒体活动增加以及人们对用于活羊运输的船只上的条件的重要性的认知增加。
