International news is a vital source of information to inform people of what’s happening in the rest of the world. However, scholars have argued that international coverage is subject to enormous variation and a significant amount of distortion, as a result of the existence of various so-called ‘determinants’ for media coverage. These determinants include the country’s cultural proximity, familial ties, or economic clout and impact on local communities via things like trade contracts with regional businesses.
Furthermore, analysis has found that the amount of time and space given to a foreign country in a domestic news program is often determined by its relationship to and history with the home country. This, in turn, skews the way that an issue or event is reported on by the media in the home country.
While these determinants are not in and of themselves evidence of government meddling or dictating journalistic content, they do highlight the extent to which domestic audiences’ understandings of other countries are influenced by their own media consumption. This is a key point of concern in the field of international journalism, as it can lead to a lack of awareness about and understanding of other parts of the world among local citizens.
In this context, achieving a balance between being truly global and being relevant is essential for international English-language news brands to build consumer loyalty. This includes offering consistent accessibility and building trust with consumers through accurate reporting and impartiality. Consumers also want to be inspired by stories of hope and human-interest that can uplift them from the constant stream of negative news cycles and issues they encounter in their daily lives.