Why are international news networks in the USA e.g CNN,USA providing a limited array of stories?

Question

I was shocked when i was in the US to discover that news in the USA does not give a true picture of what is happening in the world like the way BBC and Al Jazeera and to a limited degree CNN (international) do. May be it explains why the majority of Americans actually believed that Saddam Hussein was responsible for 9/11 yet the rest of the work knew otherwise.

Answer 1

One reason for the limited array of stories is the merger of entertainment and news divisions of the media companies. Not only does that mean less time is spent and on real news, it also means that news is presented in a breezy, abbreviated fashion. This has been a successful format in terms of ratings, and so it has been copied and expanded. Another reason for the limited number of stories, is the influence of lobby groups such as AIPAC and Israel's information ministry. Stories which can be seen as sympathatic to Arabs, particularly Palestinians, are not given air time.

Many Americans believe Saddam was responsible for 9-11 because the Bush administration and its media shills (Fox News, right wing talk radio) have actively promoted that idea. The president confabulated the two, many times, and the other media directly blamed Saddam. Here is an article from 2003 that discusses how Americans initially made the connection.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32862-2003Sep5?language=printer

Answer 2

There are no "international" networks in the USA. I use to get CNN international, but my cable company cut it because no one watched it and I live in Washington, so you can imagine how it plays in Iowa. If you want world news most people have access to the BBC news on PBS or BBC America. The networks use to cover the world much better when they had all the viewers, but now they don't have enough money.
Every one has been told that Saddam Hussein was not responsible for 9/11, even Bush has said so. It is a problem for faith not information, people believe what they need to, in order to preserve their view of the world.

Answer 3

Television, much like newspapers, feature sensational stories, because that's what sells papers, and TV Ad. time.
Also, the usual viewer's attention span is about 15 seconds, so they give sound bites, and instant analysis, to tell us what to think.
Wait until this election cycle gets a little closer to the end !
It's hilarious to watch the newscasters tell us what the politicians just said,..when if you have listened to the speech, you may have a completely different take on what was said. Most folks just want the "Cliffs Notes" version, but the various spins and slants between stations would make you think they saw a completely opposite statement from what you've just heard.

Answer 4

If you think the BBC and Al Jazeera don't skew the news for their own aims, you're not bright enough to make a solid discussion with.

ALL media angles the news to suit the needs of it's sponsors or whatever political goals it hopes to achieve. That's just the cold, hard truth, and don't for one minute think that CNN, even international, is giving you the whole, unabridged, accurate truth.

Everyone has an angle in the media. That's why I stopped working for them.

Answer 5

CNN is attracted to conserving its score up and as a result exhibits memories which will allure to visitors. international information is far less exciting to a huge style of persons in the U. S. than fluff products approximately celebrities. i'm no longer saying that's good, because of fact that's no longer, purely that the common person has constrained interest in the happening world extensive than they'd desire to

Answer 6

because the american media is controlled by the right-wing business interests which do not want americans to really know what's going on....plus, Brittney Spears' getting her baby's navel pierced sells more air time than an in-depth analysis of how China now owns the U.S.

Answer 7

There is not enough time in the world to cover all news stories in one hour or 30 minute segments.

Answer 8

mass mind controll via news media people seem to think they are informed if they read a news paper or watch the news on tv its just to easy to heard the sheep

Answer 9

Yeah it is scandalous they ddon'y do their work... but Bush incist on this egoistic trend in the US to be self suficient in the US affairs by implementing the INFORMATION CONTROL of the US WAR SATUS.

WE live War times, don't forget it !

Answer 10

cause they dont want them to know the truth.and i thought bin laden was behind 9.11?tomorow they will start saying im behind 9.11????