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DEMONSTRATING THE CNN EFFECT
publicly ruled out the option of ground forces at the start of the cam-
paign, had fighter jets fly at 15,000 feet, and did not authorize the use
of Apache helicopters because of their high risk of being shot down.
Political Commitment
While culture, context, and cost strongly influence the possibility of a
CNN effect, they also each play an important role in influencing the
political commitment a government has, or at least agents within the
government supporting the official policy have, to a policy under chal-
lenge. The level of political commitment to a policy plays a significant
role in determining the possibility of the CNN effect. As outlined ear-
lier, much of the CNN effect literature places a premium on the
degree of policy clarity in determining the possibility of the CNN
effect. However, as Robin Brown has pointed out, the key issue
regarding policy change is not clarity but the degree of commitment.
Using Keohane and Nye’s distinction between sensitivity and vulner-
ability, Brown differentiates policy that is sensitive—concerned with
media coverage to the point of being monitored, managed, and
responded to—from policy that is vulnerable—concerned with media
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The
coverage that might change policy either directly or indirectly.
CNN effect, as defined in this assessment, comes into play only when
policy is already vulnerable. However, it should be noted that media
influence can also play a role in turning a policy with a high degree of
commitment into one that becomes sensitive, or in turning a sensitive
policy into a vulnerable one. This is because the influence of media on
policy over an issue, as noted earlier, can take months or even years to
unfold due to an accumulative effect.
Alternatives to
the CNN Effect
Two alternative theories that suggest strong government and elite
influence over media output and also challenge the validity of the
CNN effect are the indexing hypothesis (or indexing) and hegemony
(or “manufacturing consent”). Indexing, a phrase first coined by
Lance Bennett, suggests that journalists largely source and limit the
slant of their coverage to reflect the range of opinions within their
government, often within elite forums such as congressional debates in
the United States. 93 Indexing political elites has practical benefits for
journalists and editors, who have an easy and defendable source when
questioned by corporate managers and concerned citizens. Based on
empirical studies of foreign policy crises, indexing shows that the scope