Association of Food Journalists

The Association of Food Journalists (AFJ) was a US-based professional organization that operated from the early 1970s through 2020 in the field of food journalism.^[1][2] It was created to promote high standards for journalists reporting and writing on food, the food industry, restaurants, cookbooks and related fields.^[2][3][4]

The organization mostly represented journalist working at newspapers in the United States. The organization closed in 2020, due to lack of funding with a business model heavily reliant on the funding of print journalism.

The AFJ was founded by Milwaukee Journal food editor Peggy Daum in response to blistering statements by U.S. Senator Frank Moss who, in an address at a food writers' conference in 1971, harshly accused food journalists, mainly women, of being strongly influenced by PR agencies and lobbyists for the food industry -- as well as their publications' advertising departments -- by accepting gifts, free travel and lodging, and other favors.^[2]Kimberly Wilmot Voss, a scholar of women's pages, where at the time most newspaper food writing appeared, points out that at the time, women were excluded from most major US professional journalism organizations.^[2]

Known for his consumer advocacy positions, Moss asked them, "Ladies, are you the pawns of your advertising managers -- or are you journalists?"^[5][6] The conference at which Moss spoke was the Newspaper Food Editors' Conference, which since 1943 had been hosted by The Newspaper Advertising Sales Associates with funding from major commercial food producers and lobbying organizations such as the American Meat Institute.^[2] Historically the weeklong conferences included product promotion.^[2]

Shortly after the conference, the Columbia Journalism Review published what Voss called a "scathing critique" of newspaper food sections, which further motivated women food journalists.^[2] At the time, many US newspapers still included advertising in their food sections.^[2]

Un grupo de mujeres se reunió en la habitación del hotel de conferencias de Daum la noche después del discurso de Moss y comenzó a planificar una asociación profesional para escritores gastronómicos. ^{[ 2 ]} Para 1974, ya estaba en funcionamiento con 97 miembros. ^{[ 2 ]} Daum se convirtió en su primera presidenta, con Marian Burros del Washington Star , más tarde del New York Times , ^{[ 7 ]} como vicepresidenta. ^{[ 2 ]}

La asociación otorgó premios a los mejores escritos en diversas categorías de medios ^{[ 8 ]} y organizó conferencias para sus miembros. ^{[ 1 ]} Entre los galardonados notables con premios AFJ se encuentran Jackie Summers , ^{[ 9 ] [ 10 ]} David Leite , ^{[ 11 ]} Ted Genoways , ^{[ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ]} Russ Parsons ^{[ 15 ]} y Mikki Kendall . ^{[ 16 ]}

Un aspecto central del propósito de la AFJ era su código de ética, cuyo objetivo era "proteger la integridad de sus miembros y preservar su credibilidad". ^{[ 17 ]} El código establecía directrices que sus miembros debían seguir para garantizar los estándares periodísticos de objetividad en sus reportajes y escritos, libres de influencias externas. ^{[ 18 ]} Las directrices de la AFJ para los críticos gastronómicos incluían esperar al menos un mes antes de visitar un restaurante recién inaugurado y experimentar las comidas del restaurante "de la forma más anónima posible", prácticas que hoy se consideran estándar. ^{[ 19 ]}

La asociación se disolvió en 2020 por falta de fondos; el modelo de negocio de la organización dependía del apoyo financiero indirecto de organizaciones de periodismo impreso mediante el pago de las cuotas de membresía de sus empleados, sus gastos de asistencia a conferencias y sus cuotas de inscripción a premios. ^{[ 1 ]}