Foreign News in the Ghanaian Press: A Content Analysis of the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times

Abstract

This study examined the coverage the press in Ghana give to events that occur in foreign countries through a content analysis of sampled editions of the Daily Graphic and the Ghanaian Times in 2013. The study employed quantitative research method in the collection and analysis of data from 614 selected editions of the two newspapers. The findings of the study revealed that lingual affinity (common or shared official language) was a critical determinant of countries receiving coverage in the Ghanaian press. Also, though there was noteworthy coverage for countries on the African continent, coverage for non-African countries was significantly higher. Indications however were that sports, social conflicts, politics and military and security issues, of nations, in a descending order, dominated the news the Ghanaian press serves as foreign news staples to Ghanaians.