top 10 News Source

top 10 news Source

The BBC

The British Broadcasting Corporation has over 23,000 employees, making it the largest broadcaster in the world. It also has a World Service arm, which in 2007 had almost 200 million radio listeners every week, and was accessible to almost 75% of the world’s capital cities. As a public service broadcaster, it has very strict rules on impartiality and bias, as well as being almost unique as a channel that has no commercials. With television, internet and radio services, the BBC is a true media giant, which for reach and influence, as well as its reputation as a trustworthy organization, is almost peerless around the world.

CNN

CNN arguably transformed the way that news coverage takes place. Launched in 1980, it became the first channel to produce 24-hour rolling news coverage, a model that every major network in the world has sought to replicate. The international arm can be seen by viewers in 212 countries, giving it an enormous reach. Its coverage of the first Gulf War led to the Pentagon noting the “CNN Effect” -- acknowledging how much rolling news coverage has influenced government decision making. As the avant-garde in this field, CNN deserves to be recognized for its massive potency.

The New York Times

Since its first edition in 1851, this newspaper has won 104 Pulitzer prizes, more than any other publication in the world. In 2008, it was the most visited news website in America, with 18 million unique visitors. Despite dwindling paper sales and a struggle to come to terms with the challenges of the changing media world, it remains a hugely influential news outlet -- it is recognized across the world as a “newspaper of record,” essentially a newspaper recognized as authoritative and trustworthy. Its particular strength lies in the quality of its editorial content, which is seen as well-balanced and coherent.

CCTV

Regardless of the Orwellian connotations, China Central TV has the biggest audience reach in China, with over one billion potential viewers. It is a state-owned network that broadcasts 19 different channels, often used as the mouthpiece for the government. Despite new channels challenging its dominant position, at Chinese New Year, it can hope to amass a remarkable 90% of television audiences. CCTV does also broadcast internationally, in a range of languages. As the leading broadcaster in the most populous nation in the world, which also has one of the fastest-growing economies, CCTV is undoubtedly a very powerful media outlet.

The Wall Street Journal

With 2.1 million readers, it is the biggest newspaper in America by circulation and winner of the Pulitzer Prize on 33 occasions. It still retains considerable influence, and a report as recently as September caught the attention of the Obama administration, as well as being the publication of choice for many businessmen and financiers. There is a noted perceptual difference between its news pages, which are regarded as extremely liberal, and its editorial pages, which are seen as much more conservative. While print media generally appears to be a falling star, the WSJ remains a hugely potent force.  

Yomiuri Shimbun

Although we acknowledge that print media has lost its dominance in the face of television and internet news, which can be updated much more rapidly, Yomiuri Shimbun remains a massively popular publication. It is the most widely read newspaper in the world, with a daily circulation of between 10 and 15 million. It also publishes Japan’s biggest-selling English-language newspaper. It is regarded as a conservative newspaper, perhaps unsurprising given Japan’s relatively traditional society. Originating from one of the three largest economies in the world, a newspaper with such a wide audience cannot help but carry considerable influence.

Al Jazeera

Al Jazeera is based in Qatar, and has courted controversy for its willingness to broadcast contentious content -- for example, airing video tapes purportedly from Osama Bin Laden. Al Jazeera also changed the landscape of news reporting in the Middle East, as previously many people were restricted to viewing state-controlled media outlets only. Subsequently, at least six other news stations have tried to imitate that model. It claims to be the only politically independent news network in the region, and has often challenged powerful nations -- evidenced by the way it reported U.S. operations during the war with Iraq in 2003.

Wikileaks

There can be few websites that have had such a profound impact on society in recent times -- breaking stories about (among other things) torture, and trying to expose other stories that many would prefer to remain hidden. The release of the Iraq War Logs was apparently described by the Pentagon as “the largest leak of classified documents in its history.” That one story alone has generated thousands of column inches, and suggestions of legal action and international investigations. For a website that was only launched in 2006, Wikileaks has rapidly become a game changer in political circles.

Fox News

Fox News is available to 102 million households and is one of the most watched news channels in America. Polls suggest it is perceived as a conservative news outlet, although Fox asserts that it operates independently and without bias. It has also been accused of misrepresentation of footage, editing it and showing it out of context. The channel has also clashed strongly with the Obama administration. It certainly carries many influential political commentators, such as Glenn Beck and Bill O'Reilly, and whether you agree with its views or not, this is one media outlet that carries considerable weight in influencing public opinion.

The Huffington Post

The Huffington Post is seen as among the most influential blog and news websites in the world, often using experienced professional journalists to report its stories. With over 3,000 contributors, and regularly more than one million comments on its stories each month, The Huffington Post clearly has a large and active readership. Its creator, Arianna Huffington, was named by Forbes as one of the most influential women in the media world. As the internet continues to be a growing force in the media arena, it seems that outlets like The Huffington Post are set to increasingly rival more traditional sources for audiences.