At a Glance

Who: Alisa Miller, CEO, Public Radio International
What: Reporting Diversity Speech
When: May 21, 2008
Where: Monterrey, California
About the speaker: Miller, the first female to head a public radio network, believes diversity in reporting is not merely important; it is mandatory due to the complexity and interconnectedness of today's world.
Web info: http://www.ted.com/speakers/alisa_miller.html

While American interest in global news has increased to over 50 percent, US news media focuses on Hollywood.

Alisa Miller made this point in her speech May 21, 2008, in Monterrey, California.

According to Miller, CEO of Public Radio International, the news presented by local and national news bureaus distorts the US citizen's view of the world.

World news, no matter how widespread its impact, is often eclipsed by US media focus on the lives of an American celebrity. Miller says it is cheaper.

Additionally, not only have the numbers of foreign news bureaus been reduced, in some of the most heavily populated portions of the world no news bureaus exist.

"This lack of global coverage is all the more disturbing when we see where people go for news," Miller says.

The majority of the populace turns to television media for its news but, according to Miller, international news only receives 12 percent of the coverage.

Analysis revealed that online news sources like Google News cover the same news as the networks. Other news seemed to be only copied from AP and Reuters.

Miller's concluding questions challenge news media: "Is this distorted world view what we want for Americans in our increasingly connected world?

She concluded, "...we can do better...can we afford not to?"