COM3705
Assignment 1
Semester 2
DUE 29 August 2025
, Semester 2
Assignment 1 (Media coverage of war)
Opened: Friday, 1 August 2025, 8:00 AM
Due: Friday, 29 August 2025, 8:00 AM
1. Introduction (2½ marks)
The study of international communication focuses on how information, ideas, and news
travel across borders and how these flows influence societies. In this module, one of the
key areas of interest is the role of the media during wars and armed conflicts. This is
because war reporting not only informs the global public but also shapes political
decisions, humanitarian responses, and public opinion.
This assignment examines how the media reported on the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia
(2020–2022). The conflict began in November 2020 when tensions escalated between
the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government. The
fighting led to a humanitarian crisis, displacement of civilians, and widespread human
rights violations. International media played a crucial role in narrating the conflict to the
world, although access to information was limited due to restrictions by the Ethiopian
government and difficulties on the ground.
By analysing the coverage of the Tigray war, this assignment links directly to the themes
of this module particularly international news flow, inequalities in global information
systems, the role of communication during war, and framing in conflict reporting. It also
demonstrates how theories of media and communication can be applied to real-world
case studies to understand the power and limitations of the global media system.
2. Two Theories Describing the International Flow of News (15 marks)
The international flow of news is one of the central debates in international
communication studies. Scholars have long questioned why news from certain countries
dominates global headlines while stories from other regions remain invisible. Two key
Assignment 1
Semester 2
DUE 29 August 2025
, Semester 2
Assignment 1 (Media coverage of war)
Opened: Friday, 1 August 2025, 8:00 AM
Due: Friday, 29 August 2025, 8:00 AM
1. Introduction (2½ marks)
The study of international communication focuses on how information, ideas, and news
travel across borders and how these flows influence societies. In this module, one of the
key areas of interest is the role of the media during wars and armed conflicts. This is
because war reporting not only informs the global public but also shapes political
decisions, humanitarian responses, and public opinion.
This assignment examines how the media reported on the Tigray conflict in Ethiopia
(2020–2022). The conflict began in November 2020 when tensions escalated between
the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Ethiopian federal government. The
fighting led to a humanitarian crisis, displacement of civilians, and widespread human
rights violations. International media played a crucial role in narrating the conflict to the
world, although access to information was limited due to restrictions by the Ethiopian
government and difficulties on the ground.
By analysing the coverage of the Tigray war, this assignment links directly to the themes
of this module particularly international news flow, inequalities in global information
systems, the role of communication during war, and framing in conflict reporting. It also
demonstrates how theories of media and communication can be applied to real-world
case studies to understand the power and limitations of the global media system.
2. Two Theories Describing the International Flow of News (15 marks)
The international flow of news is one of the central debates in international
communication studies. Scholars have long questioned why news from certain countries
dominates global headlines while stories from other regions remain invisible. Two key
