INTERNATIONAL NEWS IN THE ARABIC PRESS: A COMPARATIVE CONTENT ANALYSIS

In: Public opinion quarterly: journal of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, Band 26, Heft 4, S. 600-612

Abstract

A study carried out to ascertain: (1) the degree of exposure of the Arab reading public to internat'l news, (2) the types of information the press is transmitting, (3) the image(s) likely to be conveyed as a result of such information. 7 daily `prestige' newspapers (NP's) published in diff Arab capitals were selected for detailed content analysis. All issues published over a 2-week period were assembled, their contents analyzed re a pre-determined classification system - country-wise, area-wise, as well as by topic, viz, pol'al, cultural & sci'fic, etc. The results were tabulated quantitatively, eg, topic/space or country/space. It was found that Arab NP's devote a higher % of their over-all space to the coverage of foreign news than do comparable NP's in the US & Europe. A relationship was established between reporting outside events & a country's dependence - econ or pol'al - on the outside world. It was found that Arab countries deeply involved in programs of internal reconstruction have NP's that devote less space to internat'l events than countries that depend on the West. Events in which the big powers are involved are more than adequately covered, the US receiving extensive coverage, followed by GB; France & Red China received minimal coverage. It was found that subjective values modify the objective ranking of the powers. In terms of att's, Arab NP's treated the US & the USSR positively, GB somewhat negatively, & France unequivocally negatively. AA.