Gran Bretaña

This thesis examines the role of the mass media in international relations and discusses processes of national image building. Its focus is on the way the press covers events, topics and issues relating to a foreign country, using Germany’s newspaper coverage of Mexico as an example. Although a great deal has been published on personal and advertising brand image building, the literature on national image building is sparse. A range of literature on image building and national identity and the role of the media was reviewed to provide a suitable theoretical framework for the empirical research to follow. Communication developments, e.g. live television and the internet, have transformed diplomatic practices. Nation states, reacting to the input they receive from the media, adjust and redefine their communications policies accordingly.