Instructor: Jack Lule 
Phone: (610)758-4177 
Email: jack.lule@lehigh.edu 

On this page are the assignments for Monday, June 5 and Thursday, June  8. 

DEADLINES:  You should have Monday's assignments completed by Thursday, June 8, at 7 p.m. You should have Thursday's assignments completed by Monday, June 12, at 7 p.m.

WEEK TWO, MONDAY: Our topic last week introduced us to U.S. coverage of international affairs. This week, we look more closely at U.S. news, particularly an interesting concept called -- "the CNN effect."

Many people think that U.S. television images of international events -- especially on CNN -- can influence and shape U.S. foreign policy. For example, they think that television images of starving people forced the U.S. government to send troops and aid to Somalia. They think that television images of the slaughter in Rwanda forced the United States to take action.

Is it true?

Two researchers have studied the CNN effect. They've interviewed journalists, U.S. officials, government workers in other nations, and people who work for international relief agencies.

They both agree: U.S. television does NOT determine or dictate foreign policy. We'll look closely at how they reached this conclusion. And we'll see what they say about the real relationship between television and foreign policy.

Your assignment has four parts:

1) Read closely the article, "Television and Foreign Policy," by Nik Gowing of ITN's Channel 4 News in London. 

2) Follow that with the second research study, "The CNN Effect," by Warren Strobel, White House correspondent for the Washington Times.

3) Send me an email message that answers this question: 

Gowing and Strobel both agree that television does not have a large influence on foreign policy. Yet they acknowledge that TV pictures do have emotional impact. So how do U.S. policy makers handle the CNN factor? How do they respond to television's pictures? 

You don't need a long answer. Two screens -- 400 words or so -- are fine. You can use direct email from this link to jack.lule@lehigh.edu, or just use your usual email.

4) For our conference discussion, let's discuss this issue by taking up the case of Sudan. 

The United States is now the lone superpower, the nation best capable of aiding humanitarian crises around the world. 

For decades, the people in Sudan have faced periods of mass starvation. Hundreds of thousands of people have died and continue to face the threat of starvation. 

U.S. news media have given the crisis some coverage. In recent months, coverage is hard to find. The news media say they have covered the story. Should they continue to press the issue? Should the U.S. news media TRY to play a humanitarian role and try to force the U.S. government to respond to the possible starvation?

Or should the U.S. news media remain distant and objective; they've covered the story already -- does their responsibility end there?

Remember, to attain the best grade for conference discussions: You should post early, at least before midnight Wednesday, responding to the assignment and perhaps making reference to the readings. Then before Thursday, 7 p.m. you should be posting twice more, commenting on one or more of your classmates' postings. 

WEEK TWO, THURSDAY: We will now look even more closely at our week's topic: the relationship between news and international affairs.  Specifically, we've been reading about and thinking about what people have called "the CNN factor." 

1) A TOUR OF CNN

I would like us to continue to learn about CNN.
In fact, I want us to travel to CNN and get a better understanding of this influential network. Though a trip to Atlanta and Washington would be nice, we will travel to CNN through the power of cyberspace.

The network has a fairly interesting CNN Studio Tour. Follow this link and get a sense of the scope of CNN's operations.

You will also learn more about the network by following The Anatomy of a Story. Follow the links for people and positions. 

Though both these features are promotional in nature, they do indeed tell -- and reveal -- much about CNN and its philosophy toward news coverage.

I'm interested in what you learned from the sites. Please email me your reaction or response. Again, you can use direct email from this link to jack.lule@lehigh.edu, or just use your usual email.

CONFRONTING HORROR 

For our discussion, I would like us to think more deeply about the work of correspondents for CNN and other international news organizations. 

U.S. news organizations often define  international news only in terms of disasters, wars and catastrophes. Foreign correspondents thus must confront horror on a regular basis. Covering such horror can take a real toll on journalists. 

I would like you to read an article about this issue in the American Journalism Review, "Confronting the Horror." Pay close attention to the story of Kevin Carter who won a Pulitzer Prize for a disturbing international photograph -- and then killed himself. You can also find some sidebar stories that provide even more information.   

Then let's go talk about it in conference. What do you think about the work of foreign correspondents? Are they often trying to get disturbing, sensational stories? Are they serving as a conscience for our uninterested society? Do they exploit other countries and peoples with their work? Can you see yourself as a foreign correspondent?
 

return to J/IR 246 International Communication