The National Image Of Russia In Media Coverage Of The New York Times(2008-2011)

National image is a combination of cognition and construction from one international actor to the other in the international system. It’s a consequence from a bilateral or multilateral interactivity of all the actors in the international system. Also, it’s a series information that have been input and output by the actors.Under this circumstance, we assume that national image is a cognition and feedback between the actor and the others. National image is a subjective understanding which includes evaluation of politic, economic, military and culture toward the country.In the process of America media shape the national image of the other country, we found that the American media will always report what they want to present to the world. It will never present the report just like it is. In the external publicity of American government, media is always supervisor and promoter. They can guide or deceive the direction of public attentionThis thesis attempt to study Russian image in the media coverage in the New York Times and how it is constructed by the media coverage through the methodology of quantitative analysis and text analysis.This thesis includes4parts:Chapter1studies a synthesis of research introduction, research background and current research achievement.Chapter2is based on the period of coverage in The New York Times from January1,2008to December31,2011. Quantitative analysis is used in this chapter. We found that the attention to Russia affairs in the coverage of The New York Times is much lower than before. The agenda setting emphasis on the aspect of traditional securityChapter3is using a text analysis to analyses three cases which represents the most important aspects in Russia-America relations. The three cases analyses the coverage about the combination of Putin-Medvedev’s leadership, the Khodorkovsky Case, the Russia-Georgia conflict and the Russia-America Reset. The study found that "New York Times" through the extensive use of direct quotation reporting practices of language and detail description of the coverage of Russian seemingly objective narrative, but the negative tendency is found. The Cold War still exists in the coverage of Russia in The New York Times.Chapter4analyses the cause of the national image of Russia which is constructed by the coverage of The New York Times from the way of reporting, the thoughts of freedom of the press, the view of history in American towards Russia and the Russia-American relations. The four important factors affect the coverage in that newspaper.