The Formation of Attitudes to Foreign Countries

Abstract

Recent Swedish research shows: 1. Journalists and opinion makers have a more favourable attitude to the Third World than has the general public, but fail in transmitting this to the public. 2. Increased exposure in mass media increases Third World orientation in terms of knowledge, interests and activity. However, lower strata acquire only interest. They derive little knowledge or activity from the media nor do they show a favourable attitude to development aid. The scanty coverage of structural-historical reasons for Third World problems may be responsible. Journalists themselves do not believe that media enable the general public to acquire a good knowledge of international relationships. 3. Large circulation papers give relatively much more adequate background information and explanation of events in the Third World than do local and regional ones. Resource differences are important.