Communication, development, and the Third World : the global politics of information /

This book treats global communication issues from historical, theoretical, and contemporary perspectives, moving from the Lerner-Schramm theory of communication as a development multiplier, to those of Schiller et al. on communication as an adding machine for the multinationals. Stevenson's generally accurate and well-organized account of the development of the New World Information Order, with its various proponents and detractors, delves into main issues of news flow, development communication, news for development, media imperialism, and new information technology. Interspersed are brief case studies of communication development programs and national and regional news agencies, and findings of empirical research. Documentation, in the form of a comprehensive bibliography, could have been strengthened with more Third World sources and more primary research--e.g., interviews with key figures in the communication debate. The volume will be particularly upsetting to supporters of the New World Information Order with its overemphasis on Lerner and Schramm's roles, obvious preference for the Western communication models, and numerous stereotypes and slanted statements about socialist and communist theories and organizations. Despite these serious biases, the author has covered clearly more areas of the debate than covered by, e.g., W. A. Hachten's The World News Prism (CH, Feb '82) or National Sovereignty and International Communication, ed. by K. Nordenstreng and H. I. Schiller (1979).