123. Name: John Mark Campbell Title: Selling the Story: News Media and Drone Strikes outside Afghanistan and Iraq (BBC, New York Times and Al Jazeera) Institution: American Public University System Country: United States Date: 2012 Language: English Abstract: To determine the general tone of media coverage regarding drone strikes in regions outside Iraq and Afghanistan, an observational study of news articles from BBC, New York Times and Al Jazeera was performed. Articles from media organization in different geographic areas, the United States, Western Europe, and the Middle East, were reviewed. The data indicated that BBC’s tone remained the most positive, followed by the New York Times, while Al Jazeera represented the most negative agency. This information conflicted with worldwide popular-opinion data regarding the United States, indicating that media tone did not necessarily predict local or regional support for an activity. The study concluded that United States media engagement efforts failed to counter insurgent propaganda. A number of news sources with significant reporting on drone strikes were selected, using a judgmental selection method. The selection of news organizations was based on geographic distribution to test the relationship between popular opinion and media coverage in multiple locations. Although an examination of media coverage at a single geographic location might possess significant value, the variables examined require analysis of media from all affected regions.
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