Global Media Perspectives on the Crisis in Panama

The confrontation between the United States government and the government of Panama extended from June, 1987 to January 1990. This volume examines this case focusing on representative examples of global media coverage of this particular international crisis. Setting the stage for this analysis by delineating the chronological development of the crisis, it examines the crisis from the perspective of the United States and reviews the 'official' position of the government as reflected in White House and State Department news conferences and press releases. Furthermore, analysis is made of the diverse perspectives and themes developed within the United States' national and selected regional media as the crisis escalated. Inclusion of the Soviet electronic and print media perspective is designed to provide both an alternative, counterpoint perspective on the two and a half year developing crisis to the official position taken by the United States government, as well as a detailed illustration of the various techniques used in state-sponsored propaganda campaigns lasting for a prolonged period of time. Further examination of the crisis as seen from the perspective of the Canadian, French, Portuguese Arab and the People's Republic of China media are included. Finally, the volume itself concludes with a focus on an assessment of the challenges for the Public Affairs Officer within the context of the global media response to international crises and the implications of the US - Panamanian crisis for inter-American and international relations.Just as the diversity of media coverage of a particular issue better illuminates and provides greater perspective on the subject, similarly, the diversity of disciplinary and methodological approaches utilized by the various authors in this volume serves to better illuminate and further enrich this comparative study of a major international event. Indeed one the final events of the Cold War era.