ABSTRACT
The CNN effect emerged during the 1990s and was linked to the potential for a global political consciousness predicted in Marshall McLuhan's (1962) famous "global village" vision. This chapter discusses the CNN effect and focuses on the powerful role of images in relation to humanitarian crises. It first defines the CNN effect debate and then relates it to current debates surrounding the "visual turn" in world politics. The chapter outlines the historical backdrop to the debate and the broader topic of the role of the image in shaping responses to humanitarian concerns. It discusses the importance of the visual dimension of mediating suffering with particular reference to the persuasive power of images. The chapter develops an argument that images need to be understood as part of strategic attempts to exercise power through so-called organised persuasive communication.
