For many decades the Cold War frame provided a clear and simple way fo
r American reporters to select, structure, and prioritize complex news
about international affairs. The Cold War frame cued journalists and
viewers about friends and enemies throughout the world. The key questi
on posed in this article is, What are the consequences oi the breakdow
n of this frame for how American network television communicates inter
national news? The article presents the results of an extensive conten
t analysis oi network news in the pre- and post-Cold War periods (1973
-1995).