Event: What’s the future of global journalism?

Paul Schmelzer — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 21:39:06 +0000

Imagine a typical map of the world. Then look at the image above, which represents how Americans in February 2007 saw the world based on the news they received. Each country is represented by the number of seconds U.S.-based news outlets spent on stories about other countries. The disproportionate coverage of the U.S. didn’t come from a lack of international news: Iraq (in yellow on the map) was the biggest foreign story that month, but there was also the release in Paris of a major report tying global warming to human activities, North Korea had announced it’d dismantle its nuclear facilities, and flooding in Indonesia caused $1 billion in damage. But the story that got covered more than all others? The death of Anna Nicole Smith.

The map is part of the lead anecdote in a presentation by Alisa Miller, CEO of Public Radio International, at the 2008 TED conference. Miller will be expanding on the issue and going into other territory at a panel tonight at the Humphrey Institute. Titled “Diverse Voices and Perspectives: The Future of Global Journalism,” the discussion will include M’shale publisher Tom Gitaa and Nghi Huyhn, publisher and editor of the Asian American Press, with Miller in discussing how media consolidation and newer technologies are impacting global newsgathering. Details on the event, which is organized by the Minnesota International Center, here. Video of Miller’s TED talk after the jump.

Minnesota Independent » Tom Gitaa

Event: What’s the future of global journalism?