Mermin, Jonathan (2001).  Television News and American Intervention in Somalia:  The myth of a Media Driven Foreign Policy.  Political Science Quarterly, 112(3) 385-403.

Mermin argues against a view that the television news media in the United States led the country to intervene in Somalia in the early 1990s by reporting heavily on the humanitarian crisis.  He argues that rather than the media determining the agenda concerning Somalia, Politicians in Washington decided to put Somalia on the media’s agenda, which then led to popular support for intervention.  CNN is the only station that covered Somalia in Length, and reported America’s ability to provide relief for the Somalian people, prior to anyone in Washington speaking publicly about the issue.  Mermin argues that CNN does not have the audience base to sway foreign policy, although he agrees that if all the networks reported like CNN, they could possibly influence policy.  The other networks provided extensive coverage of Somalia only after representatives in Washington began holding press conferences on the need for American intervention in the country.

Mermin’s article presents a critique of the CNN Factor mentioned earlier.  Conflict reporting does not hold the power to sway foreign policy because it merely provides a forum for government officials to espouse their opinions on foreign policies.  His article is important because of its description and concrete examples of how the media rely on official sources.

Abstract by Meghan Maskery

Missouri School of Journalism

MA ‘07