How the Australian media cover humanitarian issues
This article reports on the quantitative analysis of a large-scale study of the coverage of aid and humanitarian issues in the Australian media in 1999. It should be read in conjunction with the qualitative analysis (forthcoming in AJR). The analysis indicates there are large variations in the amount and type of information on these issues available to Australian audiences, depending on their geographical location, print/television/radio and public/private media preferences. For some audiences, including private sector outlets in all media outside the SydneyCanberra-Melbourne media reach, extremely limited information is available on these issues. There are marked differences between mastheads/sections/programs within particular media outlets, and between print/television/radio media. Across all media there is a tendency for saturation coverage ofa small number ofissues, most notably East Timor in the period of our study, and the exclusion of coverage of a broader range of issues, events and regions. Coverage tends to be organised around themes of conflict and violence, to tocus on certain international regions and to ignore or underplay others, to be sourced from international media outlets and to favour spokespeople notfrom the people most directly affected by the issues being reported.
Australian journalists’ reflections on local coverage of a health-related story from the developing world
Given the limited Australian media coverage of health news from low-and middle-income countries (LMICs), the 2009 story of conjoined Bangladeshi twins Trishna and Krishna was conspicuous for its scale. This paper draws on interviews with journalists who reported the story and considers what those seeking to increase the news exposure given to LMIC health issues might learn from this coverage. It considers, in particular, the extent to which the twins' story fitted with prevailing journalistic norms and beliefs about both health and news and suited professional expectations and routines, especially in relation to choice of sources and access to material. Finally, the paper surveys opportunities for broader and deeper coverage of such news in the future.
What in the World is Going On
Advertisers grappling with the vagaries of a global marketplace require a perspective that is comprehensive of the issues affecting their craft. The trade press is one information source that is commonly mined by agency researchers seeking to remain current on the international front. This article attempts to transform impressions gained from such casual reading into a more systematic and useful framework for interpreting the global marketplace. Drawing on a content analysis of information presented in the pages of the "International" section of the trade paper Advertising Age, a perspective of international marketing is advanced, the utility of that perspective to advertising researchers is explored, and the implications of that perspective for international advertising strategy are examined.