Global Communication, 5th Edition

10CNN: International Role, Impact, and Global Competitors

Introduction

Memories from major global breaking news stories – such as the Tiananmen Square protest; both Gulf Wars; the death of Princess Diana; the Asian tsunami; the fallout following the 2008 Iranian elections; the News of the World hacking scandal; and, in the United States, news stories involving celebrities like O. J. Simpson, Martha Stewart, Bernard Madoff, Bill Cosby; and the Robert Mueller election interference investigation – are reminders that the press is on site to bring the viewing public up‐to‐the‐minute news stories. Newsgathering in the United States is plentiful and apparent on ABC, CBS, Fox, NBC, and other news outlets. In addition, there are now three major US all‐news channels: CNN, MSNBC, and Fox News. There are two global all‐news networks: CNN and the BBC World Television service.

Major US, European, and Asian radio and television broadcasters have been covering international events since the 1920s. Outside the United States, broadcasters such as the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Germany’s Deutsche Welle, along with international bureaus of major television networks, have been covering global events on their evening newscasts for decades. Any election of the Catholic pope or British royal weddings are widely covered. What is different now is that the Cable News Network (CNN) has changed the global media format in a dramatic way. Viewing went from a format based on 30‐ or 60‐minute ...