Wasburn (sociology, Purdue U.) offers a series of case studies that draw a portrait of the way the American media reports on domestic matters and conflicts between and within foreign countries, as well as the way foreign news media reports on the United States. He finds that the U.S. media has a tendency to tell a consistent story that paints the nation as a supporter of democracy and a champion of good values. Unsurprisingly, foreign media doesn't always share the same viewpoint. The discussion of the U.S. media looks at a wide range of news stories, while the examination of foreign media more specifically looks at just a few cases, such as an Indonesian newspaper's coverage of the Persian Gulf War of the early 1990s and Radio Japan's view of the U.S.'s role in international trade disputes. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)