NEWS MEDIA AND FORIEGN POLICY

NEWS MEDIA AND FOREIGN POLICY

We cannot end this course without looking at the news media and foreign policy because the foreign correspondents or the elite press corps we talked about in this course requires this knowledge to function well in their news gathering and dissemination job.

Abbas Malek of Howard University and Krista Wiegard of the American University asked some pertinent questions in this regard: Are the media truly influential enough to sway not only public opinion, but foreign policy itself? Or is it the government that only manipulates, but also controls the media’s every statement about foreign policy. It is even possible that neither the media nor the government purposely intend to sway each other, rather, the system is controlled by chance.

Regardless of the possible framework into which the current relationship of the media and foreign policy establishment fits, the relationship itself has always been rough. Only in the last few decades has this complex relationship gained real notice among scholars, foreign policy makers, journalists, and the public. (Malek and Wiegard, 1997:3-4)

Why is it barely mentioned or noticed?

Lack of integration:

There is obviously a lack of integration between political science as a field and mass communication research as regards to the foreign policy process. As relevant literature reveals, there is a lack of consensus about this relationship. Bullion (1982: 187) states this very clearly thus; “there is a major gap in international mass communication and foreign policy relations research regarding the role of the press in diplomatic communication” He further notes that the media are scarcely quoted in foreign policy literature and that the number of media studies focusing specifically on foreign policy is also limited.

According to Bennett (1988) the new era of political communications spawned by technological advances in the media across the globe has a required participant in the foreign policy process to reassess the current situation. Traditional news management by decision makers has become more and more difficult, with satellite bouncing images from thousands of miles away in just minutes to a more curious American society. With these changes, the entire relationship between the media and the foreign policy establishment is in desperate need of re-analysis, and the only means by which such improvement can occur is by reviewing the existing literature and assessing the reasons for diversity and lack of integration.

The culture of foreign policy:

According to Hamid Mowlana (1997), the culture of foreign policy consists of all those historical, linguistic, social, and psychological elements that make up the formulation and the execution of principles which are adopted by a state in its ideal form when it deals with other states to develop or protect its perceived national and/or global interests.

Today, the culture of foreign policy has acquired a new ecology of action unprecedented in contemporary history. Communication and media strategy have also become vital aspect of international relations in general and foreign policy in particular.

Media Diplomacy and foreign policy:

Media diplomacy is broadly defined as the use of the media to articulate and promote foreign policy. Ramaprasad (1983) defines it as “the role the press plays in the diplomatic process between nations” Terms like “newspaper diplomacy”, “television diplomacy” and “satellite diplomacy” has also been used to describe the concept.

The information age and the communications revolutions ushered in media diplomacy, which encouraged media’s involvement in the foreign policy process. Thus, an important function of foreign policy is to use the media to articulate and promote a preferred national identity and a complementary international image in the world community.

Media Diplomacy and International Image

The respect a nation enjoys in the world community and the role a nation plays in contemporary. International relations are influenced by the national identity and international image of the nation. A major variable in the effectiveness of a nation’s media diplomacy is its ability to use the major international media to assert its version of national identity and international image. Indeed, the international image of a nation as articulated in the international media is an important assessment of the acceptance or impart of a nation’s foreign policy in the global arena. This explains why government maintains expense accounts for domestic and international public relations.

Modern Communication Technology:

The interface between foreign policy and communication media in the last several years has increasingly become a subject of study and inquiries. This has been brought by technological progress in electronic communications and data handling. Other factors apart from such world events like the collapse of the Soviet Union, Islamic Revolution in Iran, War on Terror, Ouster of Saddam Hussein from power etc; which have helped focus attention on the foreign policy/media issues are the roles played by TV technology and international conflict, the role of the media in agenda setting and legitimizing events and personalities, the role of the media as an alternative and additional source of international diplomacy and government/media power shuffle in which the practitioners of government move to the media while some journalists become bureaucrats.

In the US for example, the news media generally perform four essential roles that are characteristics of their structural and historical development.

1. As an observer of the world situation, the news media perceive that their primary job is that of reporting the most important news and events of the world.

2. They participate in an exchange of information and interpretation with national decision makers and although they believe in some kind of “neutrality” syndrome, “fair treatment” or simply journalistic “objectivity” they are directly involve in subjective social realities.

3. They act as catalysts to non-governmental and interest groups and the general public. They see themselves as the “fourth estate” or the “fourth branch of government”

4. They also see themselves as profit makers not only in the marketplace of ideas but, if not more, in the marketplace of dollars.

Economic and Trade As foreign policy:

One of the most neglected areas of study of the media and foreign policy is the role of the press, electronic media and the specialized business journals in what is known as economic foreign policy. For example, in the realm of US foreign policy, especially after the collapse of the Soviet Union and the cold war, economic issues have occupied prominent position in US relations with some countries of the world. In addition to the trade journals, and specialized publications, financial newspapers as well as business sections of leading mainstream media have become one of the major sources of the nation’s foreign policy vis-à-vis other nations. In addition, the atrophy of diplomatic and trade relations increases both the traffic and significance of messages carried by the mass media and private citizens.

Culture and Information and foreign policy:

In the last decade to the present, the media have played a very prominent role in the information and cultural dimension of foreign policy as cultural industries and communication technologies. These issues have also become central to international affairs. For example, the role of the US media in exploring the first amendment of the US constitution to Europe and elsewhere, immediately after World War Two and during the Cold War era cannot be defined. The media involvement in expanding the new culture of “democracy” and free market” during the post war era is also undeniable (Mowlana, 1993)

THE EFFECT OF THE MEDIA ON FOREIGN POLICY:

In summary, it must be noted that while the media are bound by many institutional, technical and cultural factor for in the coverage of foreign affairs and foreign policy, their influence in the foreign process is undeniable, thus, the media can, and do perform several major functions in the foreign policy process.

1. They have the ability to define situations and to confer legitimacy to an event and personality (This is known as agenda setting).

2. The media can act as catalyst and can, indeed clarify or distort issues.

3. The media can also impede or accelerate government policies in foreign affairs.

4. The media can also serve as knowing or unknowing tools for propaganda in foreign formation and execution.

5. The media also mobilize the public on behalf of foreign policy issues.

6. The media also serve as an alternative source of information for diplomats when government channels are closed off during crisis and conflicts.

7. The media can function and be activated as mechanism for peaceful solution to issues reminding the participation that such channels are available to them.

8. The media can also contribute to the success of negotiation in the foreign policy by helping to ensure that each side is truly familiar with the other slide’s position.

Please note, diplomacy is the application of intelligence and facts to the conduct of official relations between governments, negotiation, reporting and representation

Finally, we shall consider the vital points for investigating the role of the media in foreign policy thus:-

1. The role played by a particular communication technology in foreign policy process.

2. The role of the Elite and trans-national media in agenda setting and legitimizing events and personalities.

3. The role of international broadcasting as both the only and alternative source of news and information.

4. Cultural and knowledge gap among the media personnel and communicators with regard to international issues.

5. National interest patriotic feelings and reporting of international and national events.

6. Role of perception of journalists and news media personnel’s and the perception of their functions in the political decision making process.