Which Disasters Reach the World News?
Key Vocabulary
| Word / Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| disaster | a very bad event that causes serious damage or suffering | The flood was a major disaster. |
| coverage | news reports about an event | The storm received a lot of news coverage. |
| attention | interest or notice given to something | Some disasters receive more international attention. |
| sudden | happening quickly and unexpectedly | An earthquake is a sudden event. |
| connection | a relationship or link between people or places | The two countries have strong cultural connections. |
Article
A big disaster can quickly appear on news websites around the world. But not every disaster gets the same attention. A new study looked at which events are more likely to become international news. [1]
The researchers studied about 135 million news articles from 466 media outlets. The articles came from 123 countries and 44 languages. [1][2]
Sudden events often received more foreign news coverage. Earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides and wildfires attracted a lot of attention. [1]
Floods, droughts, storms and very hot weather often received less international coverage. These events can still be very serious, but they may happen more slowly or be harder to show in one dramatic picture. [1]
Deaths also mattered. Disasters with many deaths usually received more attention. Countries with stronger social or cultural connections also tended to report more about each other's disasters. [1][3]
The study does not say journalists do this on purpose. It shows that some events travel through the international news system more easily than others. [1]
When you see a major disaster in the news, it may be worth asking another question: which important stories are receiving much less attention?
Discussion Questions
- What kinds of disasters do you often see in the news?
- Why are earthquakes and wildfires easy to show on television?
- What serious problems can happen slowly and receive less attention?
- Which countries receive a lot of news coverage where you live?
- How can people learn about important events that are not in the biggest headlines?
References
- Fetzer and Garg, "Uneven patterns of cross-border media coverage following natural disasters," Nature Human Behaviour.
- University of Warwick, "Research finds that global media distorts coverage of climate disasters."
- University of Bonn, "Droughts and Floods Attract Little Media Attention."