International Conflict Coverage in Japanese Local Daily Newspapers

Abstract

This study examines international news coverage in local newspapers in Japan, a country with one of the most influential economies in the world. The study shows that local daily Japanese newspapers dependent on wire services for international copy devote more of their space to international news and produce more international news about conflict and disaster than do newspapers that do not depend on the services. International news coverage appears not to be related to circulation size. The authors compare the results to similar characteristics of U.S. dailies.