International News in the Digital Age

Book excerpt: The new research presented in this volume suggests that general perceptions (cultural, psychological, geographical), allied to the customs and values of journalism, and underpinned by the uses of technology, significantly shape international news. This gives rise to a blend of the old and the new; traditions of cultural centredness and innovative practices; anchorages of place and the rootlessness of globalization. Technology per se has not swept all before it. On the other hand, its uses have altered the means and methods of international news sourcing, construction and dissemination. Consequently, the uptake of technology has contributed to fundamental changes in style and form, and has greatly facilitated cross-cultural exchanges. The category ‘international news’ is now more of a hybrid, as recognized by the BBC and others. The chapters in this book demonstrate that this hybridity is unevenly distributed across geo-political domains, and often across time. Nevertheless, as the contributors to this volume show, the concept of ‘international news’ relies on tightly interwoven elements of orthodox journalism, social media, civic expression and public assembly.