The development of animal husbandry needs everyone to speak up and call for it

China is a major country in animal husbandry production and consumption. News coverage of animal husbandry is not only rich in content and of great significance, but also has a considerable audience. However, browsing through many mainstream media outlets reveals that: news reports on animal husbandry developments are being marginalized, and this trend reflects that most media are gradually ignoring or disregarding the importance of the agricultural industry. The author recently discovered that a certain portal website's mobile news section allows users to choose topics to follow, so I wanted to follow “animal husbandry”, only to find that there was no animal husbandry or even agriculture-related section at all. Among the massive information columns on digital products, mobile internet, wine, and so on, there was surprisingly no place for animal husbandry.

News reporting is an attitude, and even more so a responsibility. At a time when celebrity romances and prank stunts in the marginal corners of society are being amplified without limit, and when online media emphasize full coverage and the inclusion of all social sciences and humanities, animal husbandry, which bears on the nation's livelihood, deserves more attention and reporting. This not only reflects the objectivity and rationality of news, but also fits the foundational position of the industry. When economic and industrial news focuses more on mobile phones, e-commerce, stocks and futures, the vigor and difficulties of animal husbandry development are equally worth exploring and reporting. It is gratifying that traditional industry media have always held fast to their posts in publicity and reporting, listening to voices, building bridges, and providing strong public opinion support for promoting the modernization of animal husbandry. Many specialized animal husbandry websites also persist in timely information delivery to showcase the industry's appearance and the living conditions of its practitioners. Just this October, the Inner Mongolia Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Special Channel, jointly established by China Internet Information Center and the Inner Mongolia Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Industrialization Leading Enterprises Association, was officially launched, dedicated to serving the industrialization development of agriculture and animal husbandry in Inner Mongolia, promoting the construction of a green agricultural and livestock product production, processing and export base, and successfully attracting public attention.

This is an era where “even a pig can fly when standing in the wind”. The development of animal husbandry precisely needs the media to speak up and call for it, to create an updraft of attention and care, and to provide a stronger “rising air current” for the industry to take off. In a news ecosystem where content is king and audience is king, doing a good job of reporting on foundational industries like animal husbandry is worth the media's attention and reflection. Of course, news reporting must consider the broadest possible attention, but cultivating and guiding that attention is precisely the value and responsibility of news reporting. In fact, readers all care about the safety of meat, milk and eggs; all care about the price fluctuations of livestock products closely tied to CPI; all care about the cooperation and competition between the overall industry and foreign giants; and all care about the joys and sorrows of grassroots farmers. Therefore, news reporting should more truthfully and deeply reflect the current state of animal husbandry development and showcase the opportunities and challenges facing China's animal husbandry.

First, we must persist in all-around reporting and multi-column coverage, giving animal husbandry more page space. In terms of content, it needs to cover all aspects: not only the overall situation of animal husbandry production and development, but also the individual level of farmers' and herdsmen's lives; not only macro policy guidance, but also micro-level reporting with specific examples and specific analysis. In terms of sections, there should be both incisive commentary columns and news columns that highlight its subjectivity; there should be both news documentaries and the use of commentary to express views and offer suggestions for policy. At the same time, according to the needs of different audience groups in cities and rural areas, reports with different emphases and styles should be launched to achieve the optimization of both social and economic benefits.

Second, we must strengthen the building of a dedicated reporter team and go deep into the front lines of the industry. Reporters are the information disseminators of news publicity. “Those who wade into shallow water catch shrimp; those who go somewhat deeper observe fish and turtles; those who go especially deep behold dragons.” Society's attention to animal husbandry development needs depth. Profound and powerful reporting requires the reporter community to adhere to the “three closenesses” and continue the “walk, turn, change” campaign, steadily going deep into reality, honestly going deep among the masses, solidly touching the industry, truly capturing and applying thoughts and feelings, selecting the best angle for reporting on hot topics that readers care about, and accurately grasping the pulse of animal husbandry industry development. In particular, the audience's comprehension ability must be taken into account, along with their psychology and the things they like. Information updates must be closely linked to their personal experience and the things they are familiar with, and news publicity reports should be made using the examples and expressions most familiar to them.

Third, we must use the combined force of public opinion to advance the process of animal husbandry industrialization. News media such as animal husbandry-related newspapers, periodicals and websites should play the role of the main front, thinking from the big picture and applying ink to the small details, giving play to the important role of animal husbandry in disseminating information sources, focusing on close cooperation with mainstream newspapers and portal websites, regularly pushing important messages, and actively opening up new communication channels such as mobile apps to lead public opinion attention, convey the industry's voice, and make reporting on the animal husbandry industry a conscious act of mainstream media and a habit of the broad readership.