Third World Mass Communications: A Basic Bibliography

Abstract

To produce a selected bibliography on Third World mass communications has become rather difficult in recent years, because of an abundance of materials. The controversy that led to and nourished the New World and International Information Order augmented the literature by many fold and in some cases impressively — though not always differently, as catch phrases and arguments on all sides of the debate were repeated almost slavishly in packaged articles and books reminiscent of the works of a public relations practitioner. The growth of journalism training, research and educational institutions — and a corresponding increase in teachers, researchers and writers — in Third World nations also produced a glut of information.

Because of these factors and a space limitation, this bibliography is devoted almost entirely to books and monographs published between 1971 and 1981. A list of periodicals which carry Third World mass communications articles is added, with notations on special issues devoted to the topic. To do more than this concerning periodical literature is prohibitive in this article.

Categories used are bibliographies; mass communications, broken down into general, advertising and public relations, broadcasting, film and press; communication and development in the Third World (including media's role in social change, national development and integration, rural development and revolutionary movements); communications, politics and governments in the Third World (including law of the press, political processes and ideologies, right to communicate and press freedom); and the New World and International Information Order and the Third World (including media imperialism, flow of news and information and national sovereignty).

This listing in no way is meant to be exhaustive; instead, it is designed to serve as a basic bibliography of the most recent books and monographs written by researchers and scholars throughout the world, but mainly from the United States.