Global Communication, 5th Edition

11The Role of Global News Agencies and Sources

As one would expect, the revolutionary emergence of digital, mobile, and web‐based media has resulted in radical change regarding which news sources are most relied upon globally. Little consensus, however, seems to exist in recent polls, studies, and reports as to which specific news sources are the most significant in a global sense. Much of that, no doubt, is because in some specific nations, even major news sources with a more or less global reach such as BBC or CNN, may be less popular than more localized or regionalized options.

In an earlier and simpler era, world news was largely dominated by major traditional news agencies like Reuters and Associated Press, as well as by major “papers of record,” such as the Times of London and the New York Times. Now, however, news may come from a surprisingly diverse mix of sources, which may take advantage of newer web‐based options. News may come directly from a Twitter feed, or from videos uploaded by individuals, or from such websites as BuzzFeed or WikiLeaks.

Traditional news agencies have tended to operate either as official arms of national governments, as with China's Xinhua News Agency, or as monolithic commercial enterprises spanning several continents, such as Reuters. Even where traditional news agencies still operate today, however, they may take a back seat at times to more immediate and, ironically, occasionally more credible news sources, such as online video posted ...