As of late the Philippines and China have been involved in a series of conflicts involving the Scarborough shoal located in the South China Sea (Hoffman, 2012). This has of course resulted in a considerable degree of news coverage regarding this potential flashpoint in the Pacific, however, the portrayal of the issue is decidedly different when examining the way in which it is portrayed by CNN and the method utilized by China Central Television (CCTV). First off, CNN portrayed the issue in a generally neutral fashion and focused mainly on the facts of the case, namely that China was in direct violation of the UNCLOS agreement and that it was in effect using its military and economic might to assert its dominance in South East Asia. The portrayal on CCTV was decidedly different with the news anchor generally siding with the Chinese government and even accusing the Philippines of not respecting China’s historic claims (such claims are largely baseless). The graphics utilized were also decidedly different with the Chinese newscasters using maps that were either ancient or generally exaggerated while CNN on the other hand used maps that were based on U.N. guidelines regarding exclusive economic zones. Overall, based on an examination of both newscasts, it is quite obvious that the accuracy of the news being delivered dramatically changes when it comes to issues where the country that has something to gain is the origin of a particular news broadcast (Farrer, 2012). Thus, from a certain perspective, it can be stated that not all news is unbiased, and in fact, some of it is downright dishonest and unethical.
Reference
Farrer, M. (2012). Resisting China – behind the reviving south china sea disputes. Defence Review Asia, 6(4), 36-38.
Hoffman, S. (2012). Sino-Philippine Tension and Trade Rising amid Scarborough Standoff. China Brief, 12(9), 13-16.