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THE CNN EFFECT
current options, it is clear that differences exist in how leading
thinkers perceive the phenomenon. Discrepancies exist on a number
of issues, three of which will be highlighted here. The first relates to
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the agent; in other words, what catalysts can and cannot be included
when the CNN effect occurs; the second relates to what is affected;
the third relates to the nature of the cause-effect dynamic.
What is the Agent?
In the definitions reviewed earlier, Livingston refers to the agent of
the CNN effect as “global, real-time media,” Robinson calls it “real-
time communications technology,” while Nye believes it refers to
“broadcast information.” In their assessment, each of these thinkers is
looking from a different perspective at what constitutes the agent of
the CNN effect. This is not necessarily a significant discrepancy, as
without media, the right technology, and information, there would be
no CNN or other transcontinental news networks or potential
effects—all are, therefore, important facets of the same factor.
However, do all media play as important a role in the CNN effect?
Certainly, the CNN effect is caused by more than just the CNN
organization, which is a symbol of a much broader phenomenon. 12 5
But how broadly does its breadth reach?
To assist with this task, it is important to review two points. First,
the majority of people in the geographic focus of our study (the West
in general, and the United States in particular) receive most of their
news from television, which has gained market share in recent
decades—largely at the expense of the newspaper. In 1962, only
29 percent of Americans cited the television as their primary source of
news, but by 1980 this figure had jumped to 51 percent. 13 In a study
on the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the United States, 81
percent of Americans surveyed stated that they received most of their
information from television. 14 Second, studies indicate that television
is trusted more than other sources of news information, because words
are often followed by moving images that verify claims, making them
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more convincing. Based on these findings, and because CNN itself—
the symbol of the effect—is received through television, this medium
is usually prioritized when evoking the CNN effect.
The newspaper, while not as significant as the television for mass
audiences, is an important contributor to the CNN effect because it
plays a significant role in framing issues and informing government
elite and decision-makers about perceived public opinion on issues.
This is often done through the editorials of elite newspapers such as
The New York Times and The Washington Post in the United States,