Open global networks, closed international flows: World system and political economy of hyperlinks in cyberspace

The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to propose a conceptual framework incorporating various theoretical perspectives in the fields of sociology and mass communication to identify the determinants of international flow and hyperlinks of foreign news in cyberspace and second, to test this model using data randomly collected from online news media in 15 countries. Against the backdrop of the world system theory, three specific hypotheses were tested. The results suggest that, although the Internet is an open global network, the flow of news and information through outgoing hyperlinks between countries remains mostly closed. If the findings are any indication, online journalism around the world does not make better use of the 'open media code' of the Internet, still subscribing to a 'closed media code' in its practices. COPYRIGHT