The picture improves somewhat when the issues are international extensions of domestic concerns such as control of crime, drug trafficking, and pollution or advances in health care. But international economic news, even when directly connected to American jobs and trade, rates low attention from the general public. To the general public, much of foreign news seems confusing and without sufficient significance to justify working it out. So we're confused and not directly affected, and besides we have other issues to worry about closer to home. The shifting news agenda, then, is another reason cited for less public interest.
Security is inherently more interesting than economics, now the focus of much U.S. policy overseas.
The ascendancy of television as the medium of communication for the general public is yet another contributing factor. TV's emphasis on dramatic images and short narratives and the intense battle for audiences amid proliferating choices of outlets all work against foreign news. CNN's world affairs correspondent Ralph Beigleiter thinks the last decade has seen a marked increase in consumer-driven journalism in both print and broadcast. Late sports scores, better weather forecasts, health and life-style tips, these are what are promoted. He sees the trend intensifying as interactive media increase the consumer's capacity to choose.