Review by Choice Review
Despite the fact that this kaleidoscopic volume benefited from at least seven grants, Hess seemingly was not swayed by his sponsors as he scientifically shows that US media have failed to provide sufficient and meaningful international news. Instead, media concentrate on government-related and crisis reporting, favor a few countries while ignoring most of the world's 191 states, and practice bottom-line journalism that results in firing some correspondents and increasing coverage areas and duties of those who remain. Most of the abundant research was gathered in 1992: Hess analyzed 24,000 news stories with foreign datelines (all media) and interviewed 404 foreign correspondents (and 370 of their former colleagues). He tells who the correspondents are, including their parentage (to determine their elitist tendencies), and what gets covered and where. He pulls no punches in reporting that much coverage is stereotypical and suffers from sameness; that new technology is not equated with better journalism, but often, the obverse; and that the lack of international news is the result of indifference, not economics. Appendixes provide tables, the survey instrument, the list of respondents, and the results of a poll to determine the "best" foreign correspondent. This extremely lucid, lively, and entertaining book is must reading for media scholars and practitioners, "couch potatoes," and everyone in between. J. A. Lent Temple University
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
