By Ekeanyanwu, Nnamdi T.
Communication is so vital in our lives that it could be regarded as one of the
characteristics of living organisms. It is a necessary condition for education,
socialization, understanding, co-operation, and even confrontation. At the
international level, it is an effective tool of diplomacy. The closing years of the 20"
century and the early years of this century (21'3, could be described as the
"information age". Ironically, copious information does not necessarily mean
effective communication, or is balanced or equitable flow implied. As a reflection of
the general imbalance in both human and natural resources, the flow of world news
and information is slanted both at the national and international levels to favour the
rich against the poor. This skewness and the anticipation of its effects have given
rise to the ever-burgeoning debate on the News Flow Controversy