LETTERS As others see us
Sir: While I am hesitant to defend the American news media, particularly its weak foreign coverage, I must point out some mistakes in John Simpson's critique (The closing of the American media', 18 July).
First, he contrasts coverage of the Demo- cratic National Convention with that of the G7 summit. He claims that the American people are being deprived of news of major decisions which will change their lives, and yet the general consensus on the summit was that it was a flop and accomplished lit- tle, and that in general these summits have become largely ceremonial. Not much news there. He claims that too much coverage was given to the convention in New York at the expense of news from around the world. Fine, but might I suggest he com- pare this with British coverage of last autumn's party conferences or the last few by-elections, let alone the run-up to the General Election? Those looking for for- eign news at these times would not have heard much of it from the British media.
Next, he assails the American media for giving its viewers stories that will interest them, rather than the stories they should hear. Can't he recognise the arrogance of his statement?
Mr Simpson's biggest fault, however, is his failure to grasp how large the United States is. May I remind him that there are more than 250 million Americans living from the Atlantic coast all the way to the Bering Straits and the Hawaiian islands. A Bostonian reading about the dispute in southern California is learning about some- thing happening as far away as, say, a Briton reading about a water-rights dispute in the Middle East. For us, a domestic story. For you, news from abroad. Does that make us more narrow-minded?
Christopher.!. Stephens
49 East 86th Street, New York, N.Y. 10028
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