Mass media are intermediaries between citizens and governments in the formulation of national GMO regulation, and are used by different interest groups in an attempt to influence consumer attitudes and policy outcome. The channels through which mass media influence the public perception towards GM crops and food and the achievement of a political equilibrium to formulate GMO regulations are discussed based on social science and political economy literature. Correlation between indicators of regulation quality, mass media and the restrictiveness of GMO regulations are also shown, distinguishing between developed and less developed countries. Finally, recommendations for communication strategies are derived, taking into account the challenges of modern media and the regulation of new plant breeding techniques
