International Reporting in Canadian Newspapers: Results of a Survey of Daily Newspaper Editors

Abstract

Research demonstrates that the press performs an important role in interpreting world events for the Canadian population (both the masses and the elites) and serves as an information conduit linking the government and the governed in the policy-formation process. This study examines both of these roles of the press based on data collected from a questionnaire that was mailed to the editors of Canada's 107 daily newspapers in the spring of 1995. The data is also compared to that generated in a similar study of Canadian newspaper editors conducted in 1988. The study reveals that editors believe the mass public is much more powerful than newspapers in influencing Canadian foreign policy. Paradoxically, they rank international stories at the bottom of their hierarchies of importance, and the number of international stories published is declining. This limits both mass and elite input into the foreign policy process, and could prove to have a significant negative political impact. Résumé: La recherche démontre que la presse joue un rôle important en interprétant les événements mondiaux pour la population canadienne (masses et élites) et qu'elle sert de moyen de communication entre gouvernement et peuple dans le processus de formation de politiques. Cette étude examine ces deux rôles de la presse. Elle se fonde sur des données recueillies à partir d'un questionnaire envoyé aux directeurs des 107 quotidiens du Canada au printemps 1995. L'étude compare en outre ces données à une étude semblable de directeurs de journaux canadiens menée en 1988. L'étude révèle que les directeurs croient que le public a beaucoup plus d'influence que les journaux en matière de politiques étrangères au Canada. Paradoxalement, les directeurs placent les nouvelles internationales au bas de leurs hiérarchies de sujets importants, et le nombre de nouvelles internationales est en train de diminuer. Cette diminution limite la capacité des masses et des élites à contribuer à la formation de politiques, et pourrait entraîner des problèmes politiques significatifs.

Trends in Canadian Newspaper Coverage of International News, 1988-2000: Editors' Assessments

“…(The response rate was 51% in 1988 and 45% in 1995.) Nevertheless, with respect to main indicators of "goodness of fit" (region, circulation, ownership type, and language), the 2000 sample is reasonable, 2 and generally comparable to the previous two surveys (see Soderlund, Krause, & Price, 1991;Soderlund & Lee, 1999). Although we are disappointed that more editors did not respond, the sample does illuminate trends in the evolution of the newspaper industry, particularly as they relate to international reporting.…”

“…Findings from the 1988 and 1995 studies (Soderlund, Krause, & Price, 1991;Soderlund & Lee, 1999) indicate that Walter Soderlund is a Professor, Martha Lee is an Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator, and Paul Gecelovsky is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Political Science at the University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4. E-mail: akajake@uwindsor.ca, gecelov@uwindsor.ca, leema@uwindsor.ca the mid-1980s saw the best perceived quantity and quality of international news reporting in Canada.…”

The Reporting of International News in Canada: Continuity and Change, 1988–2006

“…The findings from these studies of Canadian and American international news reporting are supported by the conclusions from the surveys of Canadian editors ' opinions in 1988, 1995, and 2000. In every survey, however, reported percentages of international newshole are significantly higher in Canada than those reported in the United States (Soderlund, Lee, and Gecelovsky 2002;Soderlund and Lee 1999;Soderlund, Krause, and Price 1991).…”

A more national representation of place in Canadian daily newspapers

“…This research arose from a perceived lessening of commitment to locality on the part of some daily newspapers in the 1990s and 2000s, when staff cuts made it difficult to cover once‐standard local beats such as municipalities and school boards (Canada , ). While a significant body of research has addressed declining foreign news reporting by Canadian news organizations (Canada ; Kariel and Rosenvall ; Soderlund and Lee ; Soderlund et al ; Canada ), the fate of local news has not received similar attention…”