International News: Who decides what’s news Thomas Abraham

r/2011/08/28/natpkg.irene.sunday.cnn?iref= videosearch

There are 3 elements in the maps we draw Centrality: we tend to place our own country or region in a more central position. Less important regions are moved to a peripheral position Volume: we enlarge the volumes of our own countries, and reduce that of countries we consider less important Detail: draw our own countries in more detail than other countries.

Who we are determines what we see… Like the maps we have just explored, news too is a cultural production What is thought to be important and newsworthy, depends on who is reporting and distributing the news

March 23, 2003 was a tough day for the US 5 of their soldiers were captured and shown on television US and British forces encountered strong resistance for the first time since the invasion The bombing of Baghdad continues, and civilian casualties mount Let’s see how four different newspapers dealt with these events

Galtung and Ruge’s findings on what constitutes international “news: Frequency: events with a relatively short time span are more likely to be seen as news than events that take weeks or months to unfold. Elite Nations/persons: seen to be more newsworthy than non elite people and nations. Culturally meaningful areas and events will get more attention Scale and intensity: the larger the scale of an event, the more likely it will be considered news.

The collection and distribution of international news follows the structure of international power The major distributors of international news are based in “elite” nations in the world: the United States, the United Kingdom, France. Three major news agencies AP, Reuters and AFP process and disseminate more than 80 percent of the international information that is broadcast around the world.(UNESCO figures) Two other major sources of international news are CNN (based in the US) and the BBC (based in the UK)

Founded in London in 1851 by Paul Julius Reuter to distribute financial information. Describes itself as the world's largest international news and television agency,with 2,498 editorial staff, journalists, photographers and camera operators in 198 bureaux in 150 countries. Over 8 million words published daily in 26 languages. Editorial policies based on “ independence, integrity and freedom from bias.”

Agence France- Presse Founded in 1835 in France by Charles- Louis Havas as Agence Havas, described as the “first worldwide news agency. After the German occupation of France in World War 2, Agence Havas shuts down, and is re-launched outside occupied France. The French government is a major shareholder, and to this day retains a stake of slightly under 50 percent. Provides services in six languages: French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese and Arabic. More than 2,000 staff, including 900 outside France, producing 400,000 to 600,000 words a day, 700 photographs and 50 news graphics. Guarantees its clients “total objectivity, editorial quality and reliability”.

Associated Press Founded in 1848 as a non profit co-operative owned by newspapers and news organizations in the US. Describes itself as “ the backbone of the world's information system”. Used by 5,000 radio and television stations and 1,700 newspapers in the US and 8,500 newspaper, radio and television subscribers in 121 other countries. 242 total bureaus worldwide, 3,700 editorial, communications and administrative employees, puts out 20 million words and 1,000 photos a day. Stated mission is “to provide factual coverage to all parts of the globe for use by the media around the world.”

International arm of the British Broadcasting Corporation, Britain’s state owned broadcaster. Describes itself as the fastest growing international news channel with 253 million subscriber homes worldwide (2003) “Trust is the foundation of the BBC: we are independent, impartial and honest”

Cable News Network: founded by Ted Turner in 1980 as a 24- hour news channel Became famous internationally with its live coverage of the 1991 Gulf War (“CNN’s war”) Main market is the US, but CNN International has 160 million subscribers outside the US. Sees itself as a global news channel “Our brand is about journalistic credibility” Chris Cramer, managing director, CNN International

The story teller determines the story… Can anything be done about this?

In the 1970s developing countries felt International news organizations had a responsibility to report not merely disasters, but also other developments in their countries. They also felt that international news flows were one sided, with more news from the rich countries to the poor countries, and less the other way around. They wanted to develop their own international news agencies.

Attempts to change the flow.. In the 1970s and 1980s, UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Social and Cultural Organization, was the scene of a bitter debate between developing countries and the west.

The MacBride Commission Report UNESCO set up a commission of distinguished experts led by Nobel laureate Sean MacBride to look at ways to ensure a better flow of news “Many Voices One World”- report released in 1982, made 82 recommendations calling for “a free flow and wider dissemination of information.” Opposed by western nations who saw it as an attempt to put restrictions on the press.

Western media organisations saw this as A threat to press freedom, and an attempt by developing country governments to dictate what the major news organizations should and should not report. A threat to the commercial interests of western news organizations.

A group of mainly western media representatives produced a counter declaration, “The Declaration of Talloires”, on behalf of the “free world media” Strongly opposed any attempts by governments to place restrictions on press reporting, and rejected the UNESCO proposals as a an interference in the free press.

Attempts to develop new channels of information failed in the 1970s and 80’s because The debate happened during the Cold War period and became part of the larger East- West conflict Developing country media companies did not have the resources to go global. Alternate sources tended to be government controlled and lacked credibility

The big media organizations tried to address the problem by Becoming more local, developing local and regional content, hiring more local staff Time, CNN, The Asian Wall Street Journal, all have Asian editions, and say they provide an Asian perspective

Some alternative news media IPS- Inter Press Service: a news agency founded in 1964 by an Italian-Argentinian journalist, Roberto Savio A not for profit association of journalists: reporters in over 100 countries. Uses local, developing country perspectives Weakness: depends for funding on various aid organisations- not commercially sustainable

Conclusion International news comes from a handful of global media organizations based in the west. News from these organizations is factual, but can be driven by western perspectives and news values Solution: a greater variety of news sources, especially local and regional ones. The internet has helped this process.

History repeats itself.. “Reuters decided what news was to be sent from America. It told the world about Indians on the war path in the West, lynchings in the South, bizarre crimes in the North. The charge for decades was that nothing credible to America was ever sent”. (Kent Cooper, a former AP General Manager)