The new politics of food: Television and the media/food industries

The provenance of food and the ethics of food production and consumption are increasingly a focus of media, particularly of television cooking shows. This is the result of complex dynamics of interaction between the media and food industries that are influencing consumer behaviours and business practices. This article offers a preliminary exploration of some of these relationships, focusing on Australian food television. Using two case studies that are arguably at opposite ends of the media/food spectrum – the first focusing on a niche lifestyle programme that advocates for small food producers and the second focusing on the televisual marketing strategies of a major supermarket – the article considers how relationships between media and food industries are not only investing food with new meaning and significance but are also opening up new markets and marketing strategies for food products and experiences.