Introduction
As of late, observers of global issues have upstretched the anxiety that the media have increased their capacity to influence the behavior of US international relations and foreign policies. Referred to as the “CNN impact or CNN factor”, the effect of these new international, actual media is characteristically viewed as substantial, if not deep (Ewing, 2004).
For numerous experts, policy-makers, and academicians, there truly is little uncertainty that media significantly influence international relations. Former Defense Secretary James Schlesinger, for instance, contends that in the last two decades the U.S. has been designing foreign policies based on impulse and image. In this case, the image reflects the media representation of specific personalities or issues (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2001, p. 56).
Despite the recurrence and instinctive advancement of this contention, an increasing number of researchers and analysts have started to address whether media do have the capacity to influence public opinion. The key variable to media’s impact on public opinion is not the existence or nonexistence of cameras, but somewhat the existence or nonexistence of political leadership (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2001, p. 55).
According to Beale (2006, p. 399), subjects related to stereotypes continue to be among the most debated topics in modern society. The mass media has been documented to be a very significant influence on public opinion. Studies show that Americans gather a lot of information through the mass. Therefore, media representation is increasingly becoming very significant, particularly in connection to political decisions (Beale, 2006, p. 400).
In an attempt to create more understanding of the ways through which media influence readers’ perception, this study builds on the “CNN factor”. The theory assumes that the balance of representation envisages public opinion and policy decisions. To analyze how the press influences the reader’s perception and policy decisions, the paper examines two articles from the CNN website which covered North Korea’s military parading on 11th October 2015. The analysis will be accomplished through the exploration of different theories and concepts and key arguments between theorists and different theoretical positions.
Summary of the CNN’S Articles on North Korea’s Military Parading on 11th October 2015
According to the CNN, 11th October 2015 was a historical moment for North Korea: it provided an exceptional glimpse of the country’s military might. The previous parades offered a rare preview of the size and configuration of North Korea’s military capacity. However, the 2015 parade was one of the greatest in the country’s history (Hunt & Park, 2015).
The event was carried out in the nation’s capital and was presided over by the North Korean leader Kim II Jong who was viewing the part-old-school Hollywood extravaganza from a review stage and gave an uncommon live broadcast speech. As stated by Kim II Jong, the country’s progressive combat hardware in the present day can manage any sort of war American imperialists brings, and North Korea was prepared to protect the nation’s blue sky and the prosperity of the general population (Hunt & Park, 2015).
In a deliberately choreographed show of superiority and festivity to stamp the 70th commemoration of the reigning Workers’ Party, tens of thousands of soldiers walked in an intricate arrangement over Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square, which was decorated with the party and country flags (Hunt & Park, 2015). The country has one of the biggest ground forces around the globe with over 1.2 million active combatants and an additional 7.7 million soldiers on standby. The armed forces are boosted by 200 thousand extremely-trained paramilitary troops. Nevertheless, the country’s military is the most impoverished employers notwithstanding their special access to resources. They are poorly paid and every so often undernourished (McCafferty, 2015).
The entire event was televised by the state telecaster KCTV. The country’s administration is known for perilous pronouncement and has made a lot of threats sometime recently. Nerve-racking words about the U.S. and South Korea have been more of a norm for quite some time (Hunt & Park, 2015). Foreign dignitaries, especially the Chinese delegation led by Liu Yunshan-a top leader of the Communist Party-were present to witness the exhibition which saw an avalanche of combatant jets soaring in a “70” formation (McCafferty, 2015).
According to CNN, the military parade was the second biggest event in North Korea after the birthdays of the nation’s founder and his son who is the current leader (Hunt & Park, 2015). The Workers Party flag which decorated the entire Pyongyang’s Kim Il Sung Square was a sign of power and influence. The party reigns over nearly everything in North Korea.
Kim II Jong is the leader of the party, and membership is extremely sought-after as it means better employment opportunities, position, and standard of living for the citizens. The party even controls the armed forces. In simple terms, the party makes all the crucial decisions in the forces; for instance, it prevails over the promotions and executions (McCafferty, 2015).
Analysis of the CNN Coverage of the Event
It is generally acknowledged among the general public that news coverage is the foundation of democracy – a calling in which the journalists’ work is to give viewers/readers the information they require to be self-determining. Kovach and Rosenstiel (2001, p. 7) argue that the fundamental standards of news coverage are to have the news in the comparative part and make it all-inclusive.
They compare news composition to designing a map and, therefore, a news article that omits some contents resembles a map that lacks crucial links. The omission of crucial components of a story or failure to provide a wider context of news is generally referred to as fragmentation. News fragmentation often arises when a journalist fails to establish and report recorded parallels or associations crosswise over issues making it difficult for readers to comprehend the basis of a story by concealing some facts (Kovach & Rosenstiel, 2001, p. 8).
In the complete-text search for “North Korea’s Military Parade 2015” on the CNN website, two editorial articles appeared. The information in these articles is very much fragmented and, therefore, readers must sort out the paragraphs to get a perfect picture. None of the articles satisfactorily addresses the motivation behind the military parading or gives an analysis that surpasses the formal speech marks.
According to one of the articles, the military parade was a mere show of military might and a habitual threat to the U.S. and South Korea (McCafferty, 2015). The event is described as part-autocratic gathering and part-old-school Hollywood presentation. Moreover, there was also a huge delegation of foreign dignitaries, but the articles only focused on the Chinese delegation (Hunt & Park, 2015). As a result, there is an absence of exhaustive scope regarding chronological patterns and no significant connections are formed in the event.
The two articles fall deeply under the authority-disorder prejudice by emphasizing exclusively on Kim II Jong and his leadership instead of focusing on the event: one describes North Korea’s leadership as totalitarian and immoral; and one emphasizes on the welfare of the troops (McCafferty, 2015; Hunt & Park, 2015). The former expounds on how the ruling party led by Kim II Jong controls everything in the country, including the military. Also, party membership is extremely sought-after because it is the means for getting jobs, acquiring a superior status and improved standard of living for the residents (Hunt & Park, 2015).
On the other hand, the latter focuses on the deplorable state of the soldier’s welfare even though they have preferential access to the country’s assets. The article describes how the country has one of the largest militaries, but they are poorly remunerated and underfed (McCafferty, 2015. By highlighting the deplorable state of the country’s military, the article aims at discrediting the objective of the event. Undernourishment made them ineffective and weak compared to their Southern counterpart. It also portrays a lack of leadership and incentive which is associated with autocratic systems. Also, it leaves the readers wondering how the common citizens are faring on given the prevailing conditions.
Herman and Chomsky (2002, p. 33) define the sourcing filter as the journalistic routine of depending on the state for news and sourcing particularly when not appended with alternative standpoints. In this case, the relationship between the state and the press is mutually beneficial. The press wants a steady wellspring of news considered valid by citizens to provide an objective image and the state requires a platform to drive its agenda.
In this relationship, the state creates an advantageous information circle that prompts journalists to abide by government constraints to get the much sought-after news. Those who do not abide by the set-up limits are expelled from the circle. The state’s use of conventional media channels to advance its agenda transforms the press into a propaganda machine (Herman & Chomsky, 2002, p. 34).
The U.S. is known for the use of media to generate public support. The mainstream media including CNN depend on the government for information on national security and global relations. From the two articles, it is stated that the event was exclusively aired by the state telecaster KCTV, which is influenced by the ruling party. As a result, additional information was sourced from government agencies, particularly during public speech and press conferences (Ewing, 2004).
The current CNN reporting of North Korea’s military activities has a distinct probability to advance to a calamitous war. Speculative war situations are as inexhaustible as Kim Jong’s nail-biting words about the U.S. and South Korea. The U.S. has already fought two wars based on media propaganda and it is highly likely that they could garner public support for another war (Ewing, 2004). Studies have shown that the majority of Americans are always ready to take any pro-active measures whenever required to protect their freedom and lives. As a result, the government always creates fear of external adversaries to gain support for its global security policies. This makes it much more crucial that the media presents a biased coverage of North Korea’s military activities (Ewing, 2004).
Conclusion
The greater part of the CNN articles explored in this study show some degree of authority- disorder inclination, fragmentation and sourcing filters to a certain level in their coverage of North Korea’s military parade in October 2015. These reporting predispositions are perilous in that they misrepresent facts and outline anew sociopolitical dimension that makes individuals think they understand what is happening locally and globally when they are not. The general focus on pseudo issues instead of the fundamental governmental issues is one of the political costs of misrepresentation of facts.
Fragmentation and authority-disorder inclination encourages failure to deliberate in theoretical and rationally coordinated ways regarding political matters. Therefore, the biggest question is how a journalist can handle the preconceived notion exhibited by CNN reporters in their coverage of North Korea’s military operations. What is more, how can they compose an exhaustive article that advances expository and sensible analysis and furnish numerous perspectives with context and chronological contrasts, specifically for remote and secluded countries like North Korea?
It is contended that the whole media fraternity should be streamlined. Independent analysis and composition of news will assist readers to fathom issues more distinctly since there is little proof to support the idea that objectivity reduces confusion. In the case of North Korea, giving a complete chronological foundation would help readers to decode underlying factors and journalists to comprehend the issues that they are covering. A mixed scope of perspectives and sources, particularly non-state sources, would support better comprehension of intricate matters and encourage readers to frame their analysis.
References
Beale, S. (2006). The News Media’s Influence on Criminal Justice Policy: How Market-Driven News Promotes Punitiveness. William and Mary Law Review, 48,397-481.
Ewing, R. (2004). American Media Coverage of North Korea: a look at the New York Times, Washington Post and Newsweek. Web.
Herman, E., & Chomsky, N. (2002). Manufacturing Consent. New York: Pantheon Books.
Hunt, K., & Park, M. (2015). North Korea Stages Massive Military Parade, Says Ready to Defend Itself against the U.S.
Kovach, B., & Rosenstiel, T. (2001). The Elements of Journalism. New York: Random House.
McCafferty, G. (2015). Anniversary Parade provides Rare Glimpse into North Korea’s Military Might. Web.