A national survey examined how United States newspaper editors responded to the 6 major issues surrounding the New World Information Order (NWIO) debate at the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) regarding the form and content of news flow at the international level. A 6-page questionnaire was completed by editors, managing editors, or foreign news editors at 279 newspapers (for a 51.7% response rate). Results indicated that most United States newspaper editors firmly opposed the demands that might alter the free flow structure of news traffic among countries, or that could compromise the independence of the American press free from external interference in the international communication arena. They were, however, more receptive to criticism concerning the technical deficiency of American news media coverage of foreign countries. The editors' responses to NWIO issues appeared to be a function of their professional training and political ideology. Those editors who were liberal, with better foreign language training, tended to be more sympathetic to the demand for an equal and balanced news flow. (Two tables of data and 38 references are attached.) (SR)