The Decline, But Not Yet Total Fall, of Foreign News in the U.S. Media

By Jonathan Randal

A paper by Jonathan Randal, fall 1998 fellow, argues that the decline in international affairs news can be attributed to a combination of factors, including audience disinterest and changes in the media business. With an increasingly fragmented audience, Randal worries that even if news becomes more accessible online, if there is no appetite for international news, there will be dire consequences for the sustainability of an informed citizenry. Randal who was a reporter for The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Time, among other publications, also recounts his years working as a foreign correspondent, where he reported from dozens of countries in the Middle East and Africa.

Download the paper (PDF).