International Relations Today: Concepts and Applications - Literature review Example

29 October Introduction International television satellite channels have substantially changed the global news agenda. Every international television channel has its own news agenda which remains largely in cognisance with the overall channel policy toward political, social, cultural, economic, financial and other types of issues. Within this context, every channel also follows the national interests of home country or works to entertain the vested interests of the powerful conglomerates or cartels. In other words, these are the objectives behind broadcasting any news through the platform of the international television news channels. Here, the main emphasis has been given to the international news television channels as they are the prime carriers of such policies whereas entertainment, music and movies channels have a very limited role for satisfying the objectives of national or foreign policy. In the following parts of this essay, first news agenda has been highlighted; it is followed by the internationalization of national or individual agenda, localization of international agenda, safeguarding national interests, promoting national interests, cultural invasion, propaganda and mass awareness. Table 1: Ranking and Origin of Top International News Channels Source: European Audiovisual Observatory, Television News Channels in Europe. European Commission. 2013. 11. Print. This table highlights the presence of international news channels and their reach. Cable News Network (CNN) is privately owned US news channel covering 38 countries in the international news scope. It is followed by British Broad Casting (BBC), which is a publically owned UK-based channel, is being watched in 37 countries across the world. Similarly, Russia Today (RT), Al Jazeera (English), and Euronews (English), reach 35, 33 and 33 countries respectively. In this regard, it is important to mention that these channels use English as their medium of broadcasting or medium of communication. At the same time, out of 38 countries, hardly are there a few countries where English is a national language spoken in all areas. In other words, these channels are hardly understood by everyone living in the mentioned or highlighted countries. Consequently, it can be deduced that these channels have not only one agenda, which is providing news to their subscribers, but have also other agendas that are pursued along with the stated media objectives. News Agenda Global news agenda remains highly effective as the mass media has become essential means of information about other countries (Herbert 50). Globally, getting and providing news have become a source of information for entertaining objectives. Within this context, it is important to mention that every news agency has both national and international news agenda which has been described as a structure of thinking about issues, values, policies, approaches, paradigms and all those other factors that are highly essential for television viewers and targeted audience as well; more critically, news agenda has ability to depict wrong action in a correct way making it acceptable to watchers (Burton and Graeme 244). Specifically, news agenda can be defined as a way of framing in a one’s preferred way rather than a professional manner (Semetko et al. xvi). While elaborating this important media concept, it has been put forwarded that the news agenda also refers to attributes developed and retained by journalists and general public when they contemplate and discuss about an important issue (Barnett and Reynolds 50). Within this context, it has been provided that the national news agenda largely remains unchanged and similar throughout all news channels (Best and Radcliff 15). In further elaborating the extent and depth of news agenda and its ramifications for watchers and policy makers, it has been contended that the selection of story reflects the intent about where the influence to develop and set the international news agenda has been determined (Hackett and Zhao 270). Based on this dimension, it can be extracted that every story has a range of dimensions and each dimension has its own merits and demerits for reporter and her associated objectives relating to news agenda. Consequently, the reporter will and selects that dimension which is not in conflict with the agency’s new agenda but directly or indirectly serves the intentions hidden behind the curtain of news agenda. For example, before the US invasion of Iraq, the American main stream media started to level the ground for the invasion through justifying the invasion. For this purpose, many American satellite channels, which are mainly owned by private individuals, depicted Saddam Hussein as ‘tyrant’ and ‘despotic’ ruler in Iraq; similarly, it was also broadcasted and propagated that the regime of Saddam Hussein was a real and imminent threat to the global peace and security especially to US and Western countries (Tejel 164). Subsequently, the local media, which is a regional or national media, also became part of this hostile policy by rebroadcasting the news of the international television news channels. As a result, this entire international conspiracy against Saddam Hussein and his regime was mainly fuelled and supported by the international news media channels in which certain Arabic channels, such as Al Jazeera, were also involved. Internationalisation of national or individual agenda Television news channels have become effective tools for internationalisation of national or individual agenda.1 For example, the issue of global warming has become a grave threat to the integrity of the natural consistency of environment. As there are a number of causes that contribute to the global pollution, including the use of greenhouse gases, the role of international news media channels will be highly useful for reducing this effect by spreading awareness about the methods that can be used individually and collectively for minimizing the carbon footprint. For example, BBC continuously updates environment information through maintaining strong coverage of global climate issues, including global warming, has highlighted that the pace of global warming has decreased in the recent times (McGrath ). Based on this analysis, it can be deduced that the fight against global warming will not succeed it is fully supported by the international news channels; and it will not be sufficient for reporting environmental issues but the issue is more serious. Hence, the international satellite channels must give them priority especially in their prime time hours. Only through this level of commitment and support for this international cause, chances of more productive contribution and effort will be available for reducing the effects of the global warming. However, it has been contended that all international media have not been substantially loyal to this global cause as some reports highlight that their contribution has been below the expectation level. For example, the graph 1, given below, clearly demonstrates that, in 2013, CNN only covered 43 times climate science in which 30 segments were accurate and 13 were misleading (Huertas and Kriegsman 3). Graph 01: CNN Coverage of Climate Science Source: Huertas, Aaron. Kriegsman, Rachel. Assessing the Accuracy of Cable News Coverage of Climate Science. April, 2014. 3. Print. In other words, if this coverage is spread to whole year on monthly basis, the result would highlight that CNN only covered 3.58 times per month throughout 2013, reflecting its seriousness toward this important global cause. Graph 02: Fox News Channel Coverage of Climate Science Source: Huertas, Aaron. Kriegsman, Rachel. Assessing the Accuracy of Cable News Coverage of Climate Science. April, 2014. 4. Print. At the same time, Fox News Channel only covered 50 times climate science items in which the majority of the reported news items were inaccurate (i.e. 36 times) and only 14 times, it broadcasted the correct segments (Huertas and Kriegsman 3). Based on this collected research, it can be extracted that the international satellite channels do not look sincere about the global warming issue and even the related covered segments have not been totally accurate, reflecting their overall policy toward the issue. Localisation of international agenda Media is a source of localising an international agenda especially for political issues. Recently, Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) has become a real terror outfit threatening the global peace and security throughout absurd international agenda. In order to muster support for fighting against this menace, international coalition is highly essential for making a collective effort against these extremists. As the nature of this threat is international, many countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, France and Germany are required to provide legitimacy to their action against the ISIS. And for this purpose, they are required to use the local news television channels for smoothing the ground for supporting this international cause. Similarly, the local news televisions channels will be required to report, highlight and broadcast atrocities, crimes against humanity and all those inhumane activities that are being carried out by the ISIS militants. Only through this localising and broadcasting this issue, these countries will be in a position to support their military action against the ISIS. Without using the source of local media for highlighting the issue, it will be very challenging for the international community to collect international support against these terrorists. Safeguarding national interests International politics uses international satellite channels for promoting their national interests. National interests refer to ideological, cultural, social, economic and financial values that are commonly perceived and understood in a country (Bahr 25). Within this context, Ginsberg highlights that national interests are vital economic and security interests and are nurtured by political development and culture as well (100). More clearly, national interests are long term values attached with the social fabric of a country’s history (Neack 33). For example, national security is an essential and important national interest. Soon after the 9/11 attacks on the Unites States, it became highly important for the US administration to promote this national interest as the safety and security of citizen is the most vital government function for the country. Soon after these attacks, the US television news channels participated in this national interest by broadcasting all that information and methods that could be used to protect life from any other terror attack on the soil of the United States. For instance, the Bush Administration framed their national strategy for countering terrorism; for this national objective, the US national media fully supported this national interest by portraying the true perpetrators behind the 9/11 attacks. As the attack took place on the US soil, it was highly essential for the then government to protect their citizen from future possible such attacks through its national security policy and support for international war on terror; through private news television channels, the government received unprecedented support for its action for protecting citizens (Ozeren et al. 297). However, many Americans did not agree with that security policy. For example, Exoo contends that the media portrayal of the issue clearly demonstrated that the sign of semi state emergency had been imposed on the United States; it was fear that existed in the United States in which ordinary citizens did not find it easy to commute, to buy grocery items, even to visit their nearby friends (31). Promoting national interests In the 21st century, each nation has its own national interests (Chatterjee 74; Clemens 281). Some countries promote their political interests while others are more interested to promote their economic and cultural interests as well (Ralston 3). In each case, it is an established fact that media, whether that is electronic or print media, governments access them and use them as a tool to promote their national interests. In this regard, it is important to highlight that state dignitaries use cultural events for promoting their political national interests. For example, recently John Kerry, Secretary of State, hosted and celebrated the Diwali festival in the United States (U.S. Department of State). Fundamentally, this festival is an India-based ritual mainly celebrated by the followers of Hinduism in India. On the face of it, this festival has no direct attachment with the United States. However, this move, which also broadcasted many news television channels not only in the United States but also in India as well, was mainly carried out to reflect that the current US government attaches a considerable significance with the counterpart government in India as they want to solidify their political government to government relationship with the current government in India; additionally, through attending this celebration, the US government is trying to serve their national interest which is further strengthening state relationship with India for promoting their national interest which is to give tough time China which is posing a real economic threat to the economic global supremacy of the United States. Similarly, the US government has strong financial interests in India; consequently, the current US government is very keen to stabilise their political and economic ties with India and for this purpose they attend and celebrate all those events that directly or indirectly portray their national interests which are broadcasted through television news channels. Cultural invasion Cultural invasion has become an imminent threat to many cultures of world (Dubey 73). Through the cultural invasion, many native cultures have started to fight for their survival as the followers of the invaded cultures are required to live with the new prescription of living dictated by the invading culture (Bhattacharya 218). For example, many local and regional languages are at grave risk of extinction as the foreign and national media is using their own language for broadcasting their message to the masses. In this regard, According to Freire, cultural invasion takes place when the invaded feel the sense of inferiority and find it hard to resist the force of foreign cultural invasion (Robinson 276). For example, in many cultures, it is highly unethical to consume alcohol and even to talk about it. However, due to continuous bombardment of alcohol advertisement through the international television news channels, the natives start to think about alcohol and consider it a part of urban life. International television channels are the main sources of cultural invasion. And this issue has particularly affected non-English speaking countries as the dominant international television channels are mainly broadcasted in English. For example, in France, a committee was constituted to determine and suggest new words and terms of non-native origin for incorporating into the French Dictionary; this attempt was primarily made to counter the cultural invasion of Anglo-Saxon cultural and linguistic invasion in France (Kopacek and Stapleton 18). Based on this attempt, it can be highlighted that French government highly resented to the Anglo-Saxon cultural invasion attempt and was more determined to protect their culture by only allowing those words and terms that were capable enough to qualify the scrutiny attempt of that committee (Kopacek and Stapleton 18). Propaganda Propaganda refers to disseminate information for mobilising public opinion pertaining to a state or public policy (Silverblatt 187; Williams and Smith 93). However, this term has negative connotation used for promoting or safeguarding national interests through electronic media for obtaining the desired objectives (Silverblatt 187). Both soft propaganda and hard propaganda are used distinctively; the former refers to spreading positive opinion and aligning interests between public and government whereas the latter connotes propagating negative opinion for creating distrust between state and public (Golumbic 33). For propagating any message or information, international news television channels are mainly used as a strategic tool for promoting and safeguarding their national interests besides maligning the strategies of opponents. For example, in China, television news channels are highly monitored and are under intense government pressure to only report those events which are in favour our the Chinese government and any story that is in conflict with the official version of the Chinese media policy, the broadcaster will pay heavy price; through this controlled media policy, the Chinese government only propagates such information or news items that commend the economic policy of China (Damm and Thomas 53). Within this context, it has been highlighted that the consistent propaganda themes have been used for mustering support for war and this also happened in the First World War and in other wars as well (Welch 68). Mass awareness Globally, satellite channels have retained a pivotal importance for spreading mass awareness. Recently, the global community faces the threat and spread of Ebola virus that has created panic throughout the world. Under such circumstances, the news satellite channels can better be utilised for disseminating the mass awareness pertaining to the Ebola virus. Currently, there is no vaccine or effective cure available for this diseases and it has been observed that it is spreading to other parts of world. Under this situation, the role of international satellite channels can be constructively and positively used; through these channels, information pertaining to precautions, symptoms, causes, effects and immediate doable cures, can be disseminated to the affected and non-affected countries of the world. Consequently, through this dissemination, many lives can be protected only through mass awareness. However, the international media is profit-driven; if it sees its financial objectives are served, then there would be chances that the international satellite channels will give due coverage to such issues of human grounds. Otherwise, they would broadcast such news by putting them as a last news item. Conclusion Every news agency has both national and international news agenda and policies as well. Without satisfying the objectives behind these policies, the news agencies will not be allowed to broadcast their news. At the same time, these international channels are also used to promote the national interests by supporting the official version of country’s foreign policy toward any important issue. Simultaneously, the news agencies are also required to safeguard their national interest through various ways. On the other hand, many authors contend that the international channels have become effective weapons for cultural invasion and propaganda as well. In contrast, mass awareness, which is a positive global use of international news television channels, provides an opportunity to fight against the issues, such as Ebola which has spread panic throughout the world. Currently, there is no medical treatment available for this new disease. However, certain precautionary information and methods can be aired and the potential victims can be prevented from the attack of this disease. For this purpose, the international news channels are required to give prime time for spreading this information. 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