Abstract
Food journalism often focuses on high-profile fine dining and commercial television, but behind the glamour, there are stories that do not always fit the sunny lifestyle narrative. Key reasons behind this approach are the commercial influences and conflicts within the industry and the way the media does - or does not - cover an issue, restaurant or story. In this chapter, commercial elements of food journalism are examined, including reviews of restaurants, independence of reviewers, transparency of the ratings process and ethical attitudes. Food journalism also contains a range of content providers, from established critics and journalists in broadsheet and tabloid publications to the growing digital sphere of bloggers and social media influencers. These practices are explored along with the value of news in food journalism. Food TV is also associated with food journalism, even though its primary role is often entertainment rather than information or education. A case study on the evolution of food TV complements the academic analysis in this chapter and highlights the development of this high-profile area of the media industry.