http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17703212
In this review I will write about how the BBC covered North Korea’s failed launch of a rocket missile in April this year (2012). The article itself focuses on the condemnation by the Unite Nations over the breach of two UNSC resolutions, 1718 and 1874. It gives the reader a sense of aggressive American rhetoric towards North Korea and it demonstrates the tensions on the Korean peninsula. The article echoes that this test was seen as a threat despite its failure. The story itself is based on rhetoric, which has been going on between the two sides (and America) for decades. This rhetoric is seen as powerful with strong language, particularly with words such as “deplore” and “threatening.” The reporter frames the story of the missile launch as being a threat eliciting punishment by such phrases as “The US has also cancelled a proposed food aid deal with Pyongyang.” The article gives us basic information on the occasion linking to why the rocket was launched. The reporter has split the article into four sections in order to give a more in-depth and clear-cut review of the story, as well as splitting the major themes of the story- reactions, repercussions (by America and its allies) and celebrations (in North Korea).
However, the story is riddled with bias throughout with opinions being extremely one-sided. More specifically, we are repeatedly bombarded with opinions from various American sources such as ‘US ambassador Susan Rice,’ ‘Washington,’ ‘A US National Security Council spokesman,’ ‘Washington’ (again), and the ‘White House spokesman Jay Carney. This clearly shows that BBC coverage of this story was slanting towards an attempt to villianize the DPRK, in line with the spin that they were doing of it being “deplorable”. The article also repeatedly quotes South Korean sources, which again follow the same stance as the US. The article does try to present a more scholarly and neutral view by including comments from Aiden Foster-Carter of Leeds University. However, his views too do have some traces of bias and subjective conclusions by phrases such as “painting themselves into” a corner and “they have made that harder again.” The Korea analyst merely mirrors some of the rhetoric in less direct language, rather than putting the situation into context. The article also goes on to say “Many outside the country saw the launch as an illegal test of long-range missile technology,” which is an extremely generalized proclamation and the reporter should be more specific over who these “many” people are. Also, this statement is not factual based, as it can be twisted the opposite way round, depending on who we define as the “many”.
Furthermore, the North Korean view is practically non-existent. Throughout the entire article, there are only a few extremely brief mentions of the particular incident from the North Korean side and that was the KCN’s (North Korean State News Agency’s) statement that it had failed. This is in line with statement that the KCN originally reported, which was uncharacteristically clear and concise, seeing as they couldn’t cover it up. There is a further North Korean perspective from Kim Yong-nam (North Korea’s Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme People's Assembly), which states that the people of North Korea should respect and protect the new leader. Such a remark suggests that there are continual efforts to solidify his power. The fact that this came from such a high ranking official echoes Pyongyang’s main concern of stability in the transition. However, this statement had practically been buried underneath all the American rhetoric and only appears towards the end of the article, being slightly bland. The report also fails to state the official North Korean reason for such as launch as seen in a KCNA article released a month earlier-
http://www.kcna.co.jp/item/2012/2012...0316-32ee.html. In general, there is no balance between the pro-DPRK and anti-DPRK statements. Moreover, China and Russia, North Korea’s two biggest allies are more or less discarded from the article. There is one calling for a resumption of talks that has been regurgitated from earlier statements and gives no new information. There are no explicit views from Pyongyang’s allies over the specific incident.
We are also not presented with any additional information and analysis towards the launch, in terms of what North Korea was aiming to achieve, apart from that it was to mark the celebrations to mark the “100th anniversary of the birth of the state's founder, Kim Il-sung.” The article only provides us with an out-right condemnation, rather than a more objective analysis. The subject itself does have potential to be explored in greater detail. For example, it could go into greater detail on whether Kim Jung-un has been taking a more aggressive stance since he rose into power and if there was any deeper reason for such a move on Kim’s behalf and why were they building up the hype over such a launch: whether it was part of the ‘*** for tat’ policy in reaction to South Korea’s build up or something else. The reporter does present us with some details that the consolidation of power for the young Kim is continuing, which is useful to know in the wider context, seeing as the move of the rocket test may have been linked to that, albeit there is no explicit information stating so in the article. We are also not given the Obama administration’s general policy towards North Korea and only an immediate reaction.
Overall, this story for the BBC in my view is far from their most balanced reporting. It is also interesting to note that the BBC solely uses such language for the this article because it is about North Korea, whilst if we search the BBC archives for articles about other missile launches, such as those by India and South Korea, the language is celebratory. This goes in line with the western view that North Korea is a rogue state and the western media, as witnessed in this article, follows that rhetoric. Interestingly, the BBC did try to bring in more balance with views from different newspapers a day later-
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-17715020. Although one cannot claim that such an article is of no use to the reader, as it does give the reader the general details on the rocket launch, as well as a sense of American rhetoric towards North Korea and it demonstrates growing tension.
