The group-sphere model of international news flow: A cross-national comparison of news sites

Abstract

Why are some countries mentioned very frequently in international news while others are not? Seeking to improve previous explanations in the literature, this study employs a large corpus of news sites in 11 countries and 10 languages over a 3-year period. A systematic computer-driven analysis revealed a similar pattern common to international news in all countries. The best explanation for the prominence of a foreign country in the news included variables from three groups (national traits, relatedness, and events), each representing different spheres (economic, social, and political), respectively. The conceptual contribution and empirical implications for future studies are discussed.

Keywords

Country prominence cross-national comparison international news news flow theory news sites

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