Circulation of news in the Third World : a study of Asia
To obtain some factual information on the flow of news in Asia from events to readers from international wires to newspapers and readers and the 2-way circulation between developing and industrialized countries the study was planned to include 5 components of measurement and analysis: local and national news content of 18 Asian and daily newspapers 1 English language and 1 native language daily for each of 9 countries during 1 week in December 1977; content of the international news agencies wire services delivered to Asian clients during the same week in December 1977; foreign news content of the 18 Asian dailies with particular reference to what was selected from the international wires; readership of a sample -- the number depending on what was affordable -- of the Asian dailies; and Asian news in a sample of First World dailies number again dependent upon finances. The study answers both quantitative and qualitative questions: the basic pattern of news flow; local and national news in the Third World dailies; what the international news wires carry; what the Asian dailies take from the international wires; what people read in an Asian Third World daily; the coverage of development news; the distribution of coverage; the news from China and India; coverage of 2 major events; news from Malaysia; and coverage of some national leaders. The circulation of news in Third World Asia cannot be understood or assessed totally in terms of the international news agencies or any other single element in the process. It is far too simple to approach the problem of news circulation by regarding the Asian media as the only aggrieved parties and the international agencies as the sole offenders. For one thing that excludes 1 of the most important elements in the process the readers. The international news agency wires carry a great deal more foreign news -- from the Third World as well as the industrial countries from Asia as well as countries outside Asia development news as well as other types of news -- than even the most distinguished and prosperous dailies of Asia can or do print. The daily prints more a great deal more than any of its users read. The news agencies operate under a number of restraints imposed by their clients and the clients readers and also by the nature and task of their resources. It has been observed that the international news agencies do try to serve the needs of their clients in Asia and are most likely doing a better job quantitatively than qualitatively.