Publication

Journalists often claim to report the news "as it is", and to follow the daily news agenda as quickly, comprehensively and accurately as possible. Contrary to this self image, communication research (e.g. Galtung/Ruge 1965) has shown that journalists use selection criteria which disproportionately overemphasize some topics, while preventing many others to make their way onto the printed page or into the broadcast news story. Foreign news coverage on companies in the German opinion forming media from January 2000 until September 2003 reflects the effectiveness of these so-called news factors.