ABSTRACT
THE call for a “little good news” has come from many quarters in recent years—from President Reagan as well as from leaders of many Third World governments. In fact, “good news” has sparked an international controversy over the value of development news or development communication in the world press. In the now well-worn debate over the establishment of a New International Information Order (NIIO), the old order proponents argue that the inclusion of more development news will only mean the acceptance of government handouts from national leaders full of self-serving praise for their economic and social accomplishments. And this news will replace the hard-hitting investigative reporting characteristics of the large international wire services and other press correspondents of the West. Calling the “good news” in government public relations releases “development news” will not change the situation, say the critics (Ogan, 1982).
