,COM3705 Assignment 1 (COMPLETE ANSWERS) Semester 2
2025 - DUE 29 August 2025;100% trusted ,comprehensive and
complete reliable solution with clear explanation
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theories Describing the International Flow of News
2.1 The Free Flow of Information Theory
2.2 The Dependency Theory / World System Theory (or
another you choose)
3. Inequalities in International News Flow
4. Role of International Communication in War and Armed Conflicts
5. The CNN Effect: Relevance Today
6. Theme Discussion: (choose one →
Disinformation/Misinformation/Social Media OR Framing)
o 6.1 Literature Review
o 6.2 Critical Discussion of Media Coverage of Tigray
o 6.3 Example of Media Coverage (attached/linked)
7. Conclusion
8. References
Media Coverage of War: The Case of the Tigray Conflict in
Ethiopia (2020–2022)
, 1. Introduction (2½ marks)
International communication plays a central role in shaping how
conflicts are narrated, understood, and responded to globally. The flow
of news across borders is neither neutral nor balanced, but rather
influenced by political, economic, and cultural structures. This
assignment analyses the international coverage of the Tigray conflict in
Ethiopia (2020–2022), a devastating war between the Ethiopian federal
government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that
resulted in mass displacement, famine, and civilian deaths.
The study situates the case of Tigray within broader theories of
international news flow, inequalities in global communication, and
debates about the media’s role in war. Special attention is given to the
CNN effect, which debates whether real-time media influences foreign
policy decisions, and to framing theory as a tool for analysing how news
media shaped narratives of the Tigray war. In line with COM3705’s
focus, this paper critically evaluates how global inequalities shape what
conflicts receive attention and how those conflicts are represented.
2. Theories Describing the International Flow of News (15 marks)
2.1 Free Flow of Information Theory
The Free Flow of Information theory emerged in the mid-20th century,
rooted in liberal democratic values that emphasized press freedom and
minimal restrictions on news dissemination. According to this theory,
information should transcend national borders without censorship,
2025 - DUE 29 August 2025;100% trusted ,comprehensive and
complete reliable solution with clear explanation
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Theories Describing the International Flow of News
2.1 The Free Flow of Information Theory
2.2 The Dependency Theory / World System Theory (or
another you choose)
3. Inequalities in International News Flow
4. Role of International Communication in War and Armed Conflicts
5. The CNN Effect: Relevance Today
6. Theme Discussion: (choose one →
Disinformation/Misinformation/Social Media OR Framing)
o 6.1 Literature Review
o 6.2 Critical Discussion of Media Coverage of Tigray
o 6.3 Example of Media Coverage (attached/linked)
7. Conclusion
8. References
Media Coverage of War: The Case of the Tigray Conflict in
Ethiopia (2020–2022)
, 1. Introduction (2½ marks)
International communication plays a central role in shaping how
conflicts are narrated, understood, and responded to globally. The flow
of news across borders is neither neutral nor balanced, but rather
influenced by political, economic, and cultural structures. This
assignment analyses the international coverage of the Tigray conflict in
Ethiopia (2020–2022), a devastating war between the Ethiopian federal
government and the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) that
resulted in mass displacement, famine, and civilian deaths.
The study situates the case of Tigray within broader theories of
international news flow, inequalities in global communication, and
debates about the media’s role in war. Special attention is given to the
CNN effect, which debates whether real-time media influences foreign
policy decisions, and to framing theory as a tool for analysing how news
media shaped narratives of the Tigray war. In line with COM3705’s
focus, this paper critically evaluates how global inequalities shape what
conflicts receive attention and how those conflicts are represented.
2. Theories Describing the International Flow of News (15 marks)
2.1 Free Flow of Information Theory
The Free Flow of Information theory emerged in the mid-20th century,
rooted in liberal democratic values that emphasized press freedom and
minimal restrictions on news dissemination. According to this theory,
information should transcend national borders without censorship,
