VegMediaWatch is a watchdog group that aims to improve the portrayal of veganism and plant-based foods in the mainstream media by exposing anti-vegan bias and amplifying fair and accurate reporting.
The NY Times romanticizes a pig leg carver in Spain, and UNILAD portrays vegan diets as dangerous. On the plus side, the Washington Post reports fairly and accurately on the challenges faced by plant-based food companies.
A headline in The Independent misleadingly implies that mycotoxins in plant-based meats are dangerous and fails to mention that the same toxins are also commonly found in animal products. The Washington Post thoughtfully argues that vegan advocates should address culture and identity when conducting outreach. The LA Times reports on animal cruelty at a California dairy farm.
CBS News Chicago dispels the myth that veganism is on the decline. The Wall Street Journal continues to report on the beef industry without addressing the harm it causes to our health, the planet and the animals. The Spectator uses an inflammatory headline about vegan cheese that misrepresents the intent of the writer.
The NY Post uses an inaccurate, clickbait headline that casts fruits and vegetables as carcinogenic. A prominent French newspaper mocks the effort to ban the sale of foie gras in Portand, Oregon. Earth.com reports that switching to a vegan diet can cut food-related emissions in half.
The Irish Times reports on the popularity of plant-based foods among non-vegans. The Observer reports on the “golden age of plant-based dining.” And, in a review of vegan ice creams, the NYTimes reports that they’re just as delicious as the dairy versions.
CBS reports on the beef industry without addressing its impact on the animals, the planet and human health. The NY Times describes activists who rescued abused dogs from a research lab as thieves. The NY Post reports on new research confirming that lobsters feel pain when dropped into boiling water.
The Times (U.K.) parrots meat industry propaganda about the health benefits of meat and the end of veganism. The Atlantic celebrates the technology behind “shelf-stable” dairy milk without reporting on the toll dairy production takes on human health, the planet, the cows and their newborn calves. The i-Paper (U.K.) platformed a self-described ex-vegan who routinely vilifies veganism and promotes meat in the mainstream media.
The bad and the good: The WSJ ignores the negative impacts of beef production. The L.A. Times reports on the conflicts of interest that helped elevate meat and dairy to the top of U.S. dietary guidelines.
The New Republic reports on the health risks of labeling nutritious, plant-based foods as “ultraprocessed” and unhealthy animal foods as “whole.”
Business Insider reinforces the meat industry narrative that plant-based meat is “ultraprocessed,” while positioning beef as a whole food. The NY Times and Huffington Post report on the manosphere’s unhealthy and absurd obsession with meat.
Pete Wells, the NY Times restaurant critic whose mean-spirted review of Eleven Madison Park took a steep toll on its plant-based business, has adopted a plant-heavy diet to improve his health. He has yet to apologize for the defamatory review. Referencing the same mean-spirited review, The Atlantic reinforces the defamatory message that Eleven Madison Park re-introduced meat because its plant-based cuisine “didn’t taste very good” when, in fact, the customer reviews were stellar. The New Republic asserts that elected officials should be promoting, not demonizing, plant-based eating.