International News Flow Research Articles

How ASEAN and Western media covers China’s Belt and Road Initiative: a case study of representation of the Laos-China railway under international news flows framework

The research uses the coverage of the Laos-China railway as a case to compare how media in ASEAN versus Western countries represents China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Under the framework of international news flows, through investigating the agenda-setting, news source distribution and frames of 137 stories by 42 news outlets in seven ASEAN and seven Western countries, the study finds that the long-existing imbalances in volume, direction and content of information in international news flows have seen continuities and changes. On the one hand, the international news flows remain unidirectional from the center toward semi-peripheral and peripheral zones in the world system, rather than the other way around. On the other hand, the dominance of Western media in the flows as major news suppliers providing the master narratives of most international events has been disrupted due to the emergence of counter-narratives offered by alternative news providers such as China’s Xinhua and Asian News Network. Such continuities and changes in international communication flows exemplified by the media coverage of a China’s BRI project serve as both empirical evidence of a broader global power shift and a thermometer measuring the Global North’s and Global South’s reactions to such a shift.

China’s Image in the GCC Mainstream English Newspapers: A Corpus-Based Critical Discourse Analysis

ABSTRACT This paper used the corpus-based critical discourse analysis to explore China’s image represented in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) mainstream English newspapers between 2010 and 2020. Findings show that China is usually reported in a very positive light. Cooperation is the main tone of diplomatic relations between China and the GCC. They have signed a series of strategic cooperation agreements and memorandums of understanding to strengthen a comprehensive and long-term bilateral strategic partnership. Moreover, China is depicted as the GCC’s important trading partner, which is very strong in the economic power and plays an important role in the world economic system. A strong economic complementarity and the historical friendly relations between the two sides are the main contributing factors for the positive representations of China in their mainstream English newspapers. However, the stereotyped “China as a Demon” image in the Western media is occasionally constructed in the GCC English newspapers because of the Western news agencies’ domination of the flow of international news through the Arab media and private ownership of the daily newspapers in the GCC states.

International News Flow and Social Media Networks: A Survey Of Stranglehood By Western Media

This study was undertaken to ascertain the international news flow and social media networks: a survey of stranglehold of Western media. The objectives of the study were among others: to find out if new flow debate is still relevant with the emergence of social media networks in the news production and distribution and to find if the traditional media is still setting public agenda in this era of social media networks popularity. The method used was descriptive survey design. The study, however, using secondary data from the Pew Research Centre’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (2021), social media online clippings and library content. The instrument for data collection was secondary data for the study was gathered through the use of this study, however, using secondary data from the Pew Research Centre’s Project for Excellence in Journalism (2021). This enabled the study to collate first hand data and information on the phenomenon under study directly from the target population. Data collected were analysed using quantitative method which were presented and analysed entirely using simple percentages and would be arranged in frequency tables. Findings show that social media channels are already neck deep in setting agendas for public discourse. These results also show that there are similarities in daily or weekly issues for discourse between the social media networks and the traditional media organizations. Where they differ, it is even observed that the public line up behind the social media networks because of it is participatory, interactive and free of obvious charges (cost) nature. The study concluded here that traditional media are no longer setting the public or media agenda alone. The emergence of social media networks has reset the calculations, opened up the space and attracted more participation in what people think they should be talking about. Soc

International news flows through the lens of platformization

Introduction

Information dissemination during public health emergencies: analysing the international flow of COVID-19-related news.

A large-scale exchange of information between media across national borders is frequently observed when a worldwide public health emergency occurs. This study investigated the global news citation network in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic by analysing the network structure at different levels to identify important nodes and the relationships among news organisations. The results show that COVID-19-related international news flow had a complex and unequal pattern, with a few countries and media outlets occupying a prominent place in the network and three media groups played key but different roles in disseminating the news. It was jointly influenced by national traits, the relatedness between countries, and the pandemic emergency with public health risks. From a global perspective, the media of the United States, mainland China, and the United Kingdom played the most important parts in collaboration within the world media system in the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Positioning Riga in the 19th Century News Network: Tracing International News Flows in the Rigasche Zeitung Newspaper, 1802–1888; pp. 3–34

Positioning Riga in the 19th Century News Network: Tracing International News Flows in the Rigasche Zeitung Newspaper, 1802–1888; pp. 3–34

News Agengies and Global News Flow in the 21st Century

News flow controversies have continued to dominate discussions on international communication. A lot of factors account for the lopsided flow of global information. One of such factors bothers on the role news agencies (otherwise called wire services) play in global information dissemination. The influence of news agencies on global news circulation can never be over emphasized. This simply implies that wire services, being suppliers of news choose what to supply, why to supply and how to supply. And often times the answers of these 5Ws and H of news agencies dissemination of global news tilt towards or favours the owners, the financiers, the location or areas of domicile-the West. News agencies have continued to improve in their quest to saturate the entire globe with up-to-the- minute information. To achieve this, a myriad of techniques and technologies have been employed. This article examines the influence of news agencies on global news flow in the 21st century. It highlights how the location of the largest wire services brings about imbalance in the flow of global mass communication.

Intermedia Attribute Agenda-Setting Among Hong Kong, U.S. and Mainland Chinese Media: The Case of Hong Kong Anti-Extradition Bill Protests

ABSTRACT Mainland: This study investigates the intermedia agenda-setting (IAS) relationships among major newspapers in Hong Kong, the U.S. and mainland China concerning the 2019 anti-extradition bill protests. It builds on the protest paradigm to characterize the news attributes adopted by leading media outlets and examined the transfer of attribute agendas at both regional and international levels. A total of 9,646 news items were content analyzed. Granger causality tests revealed that mainland Chinese media were the primary agenda-setter among the three, contrary to previous findings that media agendas mostly flow from the U.S. to other countries. Hong Kong newspapers exerted a bottom-up influence on their U.S. counterparts, setting the attribute agenda regarding Chinese authority and international society. A breakdown of the Hong Kong press into three political camps showed diverse IAS relationships. The findings testify to the co-existence of dominant flows and contra-flows in regional and international news flows and imply that organizational and socio-cultural factors can potentially influence IAS.

Communicating environmental issues across media: an exploration of international news flows between twitter and traditional media

ABSTRACT Through analysing and comparing the English language Twitter discussion and traditional mass media coverage of an important environmental news event in China – Chai Jing’s documentary ‘Under the Dome’, this research aims to understand news flows between Twitter and traditional media during global events. Our empirical data demonstrate how transnational news flows operate at a granular level: from local to global, and from domestic audiences to international ones. Our research contributes to the developing literature on the intermedia agenda setting process that occurs between Twitter and traditional mass media regarding global issues.

NEW SOUTH AFRICA AND INTERNATIONAL NEWS FLOW

The democratization developments in Africa during the 19905 (and not the least in South Africa) offered new opportunities for researchers in the field of news flow studies. Since the 19505, a number of studies have been undertaken internationally, but relatively few comparative studies were done in Africa since 1990. The end of the Cold War and the fall of the Berlin Wall demand not only new cartographic and conceptual maps, but also new news media maps, espeially of Africa. In this article, a broad question is posed: "How does South African mass media portray South Africa and the rest of the world in the 19905 through the process of international news coverage?' This article deals with some possible answers to this question as it pertains to specific newspapers and broadcast news in the country. The general goal was to provide answers to some of the questions set out in the international project on Global NewsFlow in the 1990s for the period 3-9 and 17-23 September 1995. Aspects such as main news topics,main news events, datelines and sources of international news were, amongst others, addressed. This article is based on papers presented as part of an international research) to the International Communication Association, Chicago, USA, 23-27 May 1996; the 20th International Association for Mass Communication Research Conference, Sydney, Australia, 18- 22 August, 1996; and an international symposium on 'Culture, Communication, and Development,organized (inter alia) by the Unit for Social Communication at the Human Sciences Research Council, and the World Commission on Culture and Development of Unesco, HSRC Building, Pretoria, 29-31 August 1996.

News Sourcing Practices in Climate Reporting in Indonesia

ABSTRACT This study investigates news sourcing practices in climate change reporting in Indonesia, a country that contributes significant carbon emissions and is among the world’s most vulnerable nations in the face of climate crises. This paper examines two types of news sources: sources in the form of persons or actors whom journalists ask for information and sources in the form of international news flows from news wires and international media organizations. Through qualitative study using semi-structured interviews with 14 journalists and two editors-in-chief, I found three types of news sourcing practices that are currently adopted: news sourcing practices that use national actors as the main source; practices that use international news sources as cognitive inventory; and practices that rely on the international news flow. These practices are highly influenced by audience needs, the internet algorithm, and the news platforms for which the journalists work. The analysis also elucidates the transnational cooperation practices of several foreign public broadcasts in Indonesia.

Can Investors Benefit from the Phase Difference Between Countries and Overreaction of the Major World Markets During the Pandemics? Study on the Covid-19 Case

While the Covid-19 pandemic affected the world economies and investors’ behavior, it caused serious volatility in asset prices. Studies on Covid-19 in the literature generally analyzed the relationship between the number of cases, the number of deaths, and the performance of the stock markets. In this study, different from the literature, it has been tested whether investors can benefit from the phase difference between countries and overreaction in stock prices during the pandemic. In the study, which included 48 of the world's leading stock exchanges, countries were classified according to the time the epidemic progressed and the loss of stock market indices. Regardless of the country-based progression of the pandemic, it was observed that the global news flow was more effective in the pricing of different stock markets. On the other hand, it has been observed that the indices of the countries where the epidemic first spread, performed 6% worse than other indices on average, but this difference has closed over time. Another finding of the study is that the indices that lost the most during the period when the pandemic spread were the ones that showed the highest performance in the following period. This finding supports the overreaction hypothesis.

State as Salesman: International Economic Engagement and Foreign News Coverage in China

ABSTRACT How does an authoritarian regime cover news about foreign countries for its domestic audience? What accounts for the variation in news coverage received by different foreign countries? While existing literature points to political concerns at home, in this article, we argue that a regime’s economic interests can also be a driving force: the desire to deepen its international economic engagement can motivate the regime to treat foreign countries differently in its news coverage. To test this argument, we examine foreign news coverage by China’s state-run television network between 2003 and 2018. Combining textual and quantitative analysis, we find that countries with stronger economic ties with China receive more favorable news coverage. Moreover, the manipulation of coverage favorability is achieved through selective reporting: negative events such as armed conflicts receive less coverage when taking place in a country with close economic ties with China. These findings contribute to our understanding of international news flow, especially in a non-Western setting. They also demonstrate a pragmatic rather than political use of information control by an authoritarian government.

Coverage of Protest Stories in Tweets of International News Agencies: A comparative Analysis on Kashmir and Hong Kong Protests

In April 2019 Hong Kong government introduced an extradition bill that would allow extraditions to mainland China. The introduction of the extradition bill resulted in an eruption of mass level peaceful protests across Hong Kong, which turned out to be more violent later on. On the other side, the protests in Kashmir erupted out after the Modi led Indian government revoked the special autonomous status of Kashmir on the 5th of August, 2019. A sudden and momentous decision to eliminate article 370 enrage the Kashmiri people being deprived of their rights resulting in massive protest across the valley. In the context of modern information and communication systems, the present study is designed to examine the protest paradigm in the international news coverage of Kashmir and Hong Kong's recent protests in tweets of international news agencies. Theoretically, the study takes roots from protest paradigm and international news flow. Methodologically, we employed content analysis method. Firstly, content analysis of purposively selected tweets of four international news agencies, AFP, AP, Reuters, and Xinhua, was performed. Secondly, we used visualization technique to examine the framing of international protests by employing news framing, and protest paradigm. Findings reveal that Protest paradigm is supported in context of international disputes due to the vested interests of global powers as well as the dominated agenda of international news agencies.

Journalism Models in Western Democracies and the International Arena: The Case of the 2016 Failed Coup Attempt in Turkey

This paper explores the complex relationship between media and political systems in the context of the International News Flow, regarding the interdisciplinary research area between media study and International Relations. The focus is on International News Flow interactions and effects upon democratic political systems. The aim is to fill the gap concerning international relations in comparative media analysis literature. Despite using Hallin and Mancini's framework (2004, 2012), the present research does not only apply their typology to test its validity, but it also applies the main International Relations theoretical frameworks that deepen the relationship between media and political systems to shed light on the degree of superimposition between structure-based and content-based frameworks of media systems. The case study is the 2016 failed military coup in Turkey. In particular, in terms of coverage and analysis, the study considers how the newspapers of four countries (Italy, France, Germany and England), which represent the three democracy models of Hallini and Mancini – Mediterranean, Liberal, Corporative plus one that cuts across different models – framed the failed coup attempt in the days following the beginning of the crisis.

Nigerian newspaper coverage and media audiences’ opinions on the major candidates in the 2016 US presidential elections

ABSTRACT The unexpected victory of Donald Trump in the 2016 US presidential elections triggered a global torrent of backlashes on US democracy and indicated changing patterns in perceptions of candidate authenticity and media influences on voter preferences. The study adds Nigeria’s voice to ongoing discussions on international news flow and media effects on local and foreign audiences. It focusses on the factors that shaped newspaper coverage and opinions of Nigerians on the candidacy of Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton. From four regional capitals and five statistically selected newspapers, a total of 1, 396 residential buildings and 452 newspaper editions were used for data collection. Multivariate factor analysis was used to identify relationships in the factors that shaped respondent opinions. The study found a similarity between newspaper reports and audience opinions, which tended to indicate a Clinton win over Trump, and to portray Trump far more undesirably than Clinton. Age, region of origin and religious affiliation contributed significantly in shaping opinions (F (6, 1042) = 428.819, p < .000). The study highlights the implications of findings to existing theories on international news flow and the influences of local and international media and non-mediated social networks on foreign audiences.

Predictors of International News Flow: Exploring a Networked Global Media System

ABSTRACT This study examines a networked global media system by discerning what drives international news flow in multiple dimensions. A network analysis of news coverage from news websites in 67 countries and their interactions in 2015 reveals that structural factors not only predict a country’s international attention – but also its transnational intermedia agenda-setting (IAS) power – the power to influence international discourse. Rationales that drive different dimensions of news flow vary. For instance, our results show that economically influential and more populous countries continue to set the world news agenda in reporting international politics, but smaller countries may have the potential to determine how their own countries are portrayed by the outside world. In addition, trade volume explains international news flow in several ways. Overall, this article advances prior literature by demonstrating that international news flow is multilayered, networked, and possesses systemness and fluidity.

The world view(ed) through the English-speaking media lens: foreign news coverage steadfastly narrow and uniform

ABSTRACT Do diverse mainstream media yield diverse world views? In a 197-nation accounting of international news flow, this study evaluates foreign news reporting by The New York Times, The Guardian, National Public Radio, Fox Network News, and Al Jazeera. The study evaluates news consonance, assessing the extent that foreign reporting by these diverse media organisations focused on the same nations. The study provides additional context by analyzing the agenda-setting role of three prominent news determinants: external events, geographical proximity, and population size. The results indicate that even through the collective lens of diverse news outlets, foreign news coverage by major English-language media remains strikingly narrow and uniform in its view of the world. The study also provides an alternate vision: How the view of the world would be substantially different if news coverage were commensurate with national population.

Relationship Among the Attributes of World Countries and Their Coverage in Tweets of International News Agencies: 2010–2016

Background/objectives: To examine the factors which can influence the presence of world countries in news tweets of international news agencies. Methodology: The study draws upon the World Systems Theory, which categorizes the world into Core, Semi-Periphery, and Periphery with respect to economic, political, and communication relationships. We attempt to study and compare the coverage of Core, Periphery, and Semi-Periphery countries in tweets of international news agencies. Scholars argue that certain attributes of a country make that country more newsworthy for international news agencies and also these factors contribute significantly in making these countries more prominent on the digital landscape of twitter. We used the method of content analysis of purposively selected tweets of four international news agencies; AFP, AP, Reuters, and Xinhua about the 15 sample countries, including Pakistan, for the period of 7 year from 2010– 2016. Findings: We found that there are significant differences in the coverage of world countries in tweets of international news agencies. Core and Semi-Periphery countries are given more coverage in international news tweets. Similarly, Core and SemiPeriphery countries are more retweeted and liked by the followers of international news agencies. Finally, we found that GDP is not the sole determinant of countries portrayal and their sharing on Twitter by the international news agencies and their followers. Novelty/ improvements: If a country, including Pakistan, wants to increase its sharing on Twitter, the country should develop its information sector and internet penetration should be accelerated. Keywords: International News Flow, World System Theory, News Tweets, News Determinants, Country Attributes.

A Transnational Newspaper Venture. Publishing an Italian Newspaper in Habsburg Vienna (1671-1700)

Abstract This article examines for the first time Il Corriere Ordinario, an Italian-language newspaper which appeared bi-weekly between 1671 and 1723 in Vienna. This specific newspaper title is remarkable because it was published in the Italian language in a predominantly German-speaking city. The two printers responsible for producing this periodical had recently migrated to Vienna from the Habsburg Low Countries. Despite recent advances in scholarship, acknowledging the importance of international news flows, foreign language newspaper ventures such as Il Corriere Ordinario have hitherto been largely ignored. This article investigates why this newspaper was printed in Vienna and argues that it was intended both for a local and international Italian(ate) audience. As a semi-official news bulletin of the imperial Habsburg government, it publicised foreign political news of its allies and became a useful tool in the fight against French propaganda. Using the case of this remarkable newspaper, I will demonstrate why and how political information moved across state and linguistic borders.