How does the political decision to ban the MON810 maize in April 2009 reflect the discourse in the German media?

The situation for policy-makers today concerning GM food is dominated by a feeling of confusion over why and how the public’s distrust towards these products has had such a strong impact on national and European policy decisions. National governments have started regulating GM food import and cultivation because of the growing scepticism the population holds against this new technology. Thus it seems that the decision-makers try to take a stance which considers not only green biotechnology as an area of economic growth and scientific discovery but also as an issue which holds risks for the consumers. In order to make well-balanced choices, they must understand consumer attitudes and public opinion. For this one must look at not only opinion polls and surveys, but also at one of the biggest influences on public discourse: the media.