The media serves as a crucial intermediary, playing a pivotal role in shaping public perceptions, particularly in the context of the food sector (Froehlich et al., 2017). In the case of aquaculture, media coverage not only informs but also directs public attention to specific aspects of the industry, contributing to the formation of public opinion (Kraly et al., 2022; Olsen & Osmundsen, 2017). Our study examines the social perceptions of the salmon aquaculture industry in Chile from 2018 to 2023, as portrayed in national newspapers. Our Research involved a systematic review of articles published in major Chilean newspapers from January 1, 2018, to December 31, 2023. A total of 327 articles were analyzed from the Nexis Uni database using the search terms "aquaculture" and "salmon farm" in Spanish. Each article was coded for tone (positive, neutral, negative) and categorized according to PESTE (Political, Economic, Social, Technological, and Environmental) attributes.
The findings reveal a predominant negative perception of the salmon industry, with the highest negative perception recorded in 2022 and 2023 (Figure 1A). Despite a brief period of predominantly positive coverage in 2021, negative perceptions generally outweighed positive ones throughout the study period. Economic and environmental issues were the most frequently discussed (Figure 1B), with significant increases in articles focusing on these topics in recent years. Political articles also saw a substantial rise, especially by 2023. The Chi-square test of independence confirmed a significant association between PESTE attributes and temporal trends (X² = 50.064, p < 0.001). These results highlight the critical role of media in shaping public opinion and regulatory landscapes, impacting the sustainable development of the salmon aquaculture industry in Chile.