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Title
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In the mood for food? Exploring the concept of food media and the motivations for engaging with mediated food content from an audience’s and producers’ perspective
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Author
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Abstract
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| For decades, messages about nutrition have been a prominent feature in our media landscape, encompassing tips and tricks from well-known TV chefs and social media influencers, recipes in cookbooks and magazines, as well as podcasts and documentaries on healthy or sustainable eating, etc. Previous research on food media focused among others on their content or their influence on food-related aspects such as food preferences or intake, but studies on why people pay attention to or seek out food media messages have received less academic attention. This dissertation therefore investigates (1) what food media precisely are and (2) what the expectations and fulfilled desires are of both the audience and the content creators. The thesis begins with an analysis of the concept and definition of food media based on a scoping review. It then explores the motivations and gratifications behind the use of food media using the Uses and Gratifications framework. Through a mix of qualitative and quantitative research, an scale was developed to measure seven themes regarding the gratifications that audience members (hope to) fulfill through food media content. Furthermore, differences within the audience of food media are highlighted, focusing on varying levels of cooking capital and the impact of COVID-19 on recipe use. Finally, this thesis examines the motivations of food media professionals and the influences on their work processes: how do their intentions overlap with the motivations of the audience? Thanks to a transmedial approach, this dissertation contributes to a better understanding of the diversity of food media and their strong presence in the media landscape. The development of the measurement instrument and findings regarding differences in cooking capital, recipe usage, and the motivations of audience members versus those of food media professionals are relevant and provide valuable tools for a wide range of scientists, health, marketing, and nutrition experts. |
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Language
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English
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Publication
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Antwerp
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University of Antwerp, Faculty of Social Sciences, Department of Communication Studies
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2024
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ISBN
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978-94-6506-197-9
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DOI
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10.63028/10067/2078510151162165141
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Volume/pages
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250 p.
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Note
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De Backer, Charlotte [Supervisor]
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Vandebosch, Heidi [Supervisor]
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Van den Bulck, Hilde [Supervisor]
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Full text (open access)
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The publisher created published version Available from 23.08.2026
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