Between the Government and the Press: The Role of Western Correspondents and Government Public Relations in Middle East Coverage

• Published in: Harvard international journal of press/politics 2001-06, Vol.6 (3), p.90-109
• Main Authors: el-Nawawy, Mohammed, Kelly, James D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Arab Israeli Relations; Egypt; Foreign news; Government and politics; Government and the press; Information Sources; International aspects; Israel; Journalism; Journalists; Media; Middle East; News Coverage; Political news; Press coverage; Public Officials; Public Relations; Reporters and reporting
• ISSN: 1081-180X; 1531-328X
• DOI: 10.1177/108118001129172242

Although the source-reporter relationship forms the focal point of newsgathering in any political conflict, most of the source-reporter literature focuses on the routines and values of the reporter. This is the first study that investigates the power dynamics involved in the relationship between the Western correspondents stationed in Egypt and Israel and the official press relations practitioners in the two countries. Approximately 88 percent of the Western correspondents in Egypt and Israel and three government press relations directors were interviewed in late 1998 to determine their role perceptions within the context of two theoretical models: the news-making model and the public relations two-way asymmetric model. Correspondents said analysis of complex issues was their primary role, and public relations officials said theirs was provision of information to correspondents. Correspondents said Israeli officials were far more accessible than their Egyptian counterparts. This makes them easier to work with but makes correspondents more skeptical of the information they provide. The news-making model best describes the relationship.