In 2009 the International Broadcasting Trust published research on the quantity and nature of international news coverage by the main UK television and radio broadcasters. This report presents a detailed picture of how television news on all the main UK TV channels covered international stories in a two week period in January 2016 which was contrasted with radio and online coverage. The results were then used to inform interviews with news executives, NGOs and media academics.

Whilst the findings reveal a strong commitment to international stories they also highlight some concerns. The present study shows an increase in the amount of coverage, compared with 2009. However, it also shows a decline in the number of countries featured. The report looks at who reporters interview and found that the type of voices featured across many of the bulletins is strikingly similar, leading some of our interviewees to raise concerns about homogenization in news coverage. Few NGO voices appear in these bulletins. It could be argued that featuring the voices of those directly affected by events, rather than NGOs, is an indication of greater authenticity in storytelling. But there may be a risk that some crucial context is lost.