North Korean Missile Tests and Media Literacy

Literacy has been called reading and writing for many years. The knowledge is entangled in a web of media technology in modern times. The ability to read and differentiate the various types of media is more than necessary. The ability to interpret, develop, access, create and assess media is therefore media literacy today. Information from various sources is usually bent or skewed to fit the needs and perspectives of the culture, which makes it necessary to distinguish these sources. The following discussion looks at the recent North Korea ballistic missile launch from the view of Editors in the US, as well as editors in Britain, Russia, and China.Review Regarding the launching of ballistic missiles by North Korea, different news outlets had varying views depending on how they felt the issue affected them. In particular, the United Nations and all leading powers have banned North Korea from conducting nuclear tests, which is a violation of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty (NPT). The communist nation has claimed that developing these weapons is a way of protecting themselves against an attack by the capitalist United States and its allies, which also happened some years before. The following four different sources from different regions having different relations with North Korea are discussed in light of media literacy to understand how people see things across the globe.AnalysisZachary, Ryan, and Nicole from the CNN report that the “rogue North Korea test fires a missile that can hit any part of the US mainland”. The paper is categorical in condemning the launch and terming that the United States needs to respond in some way. In addition to the report on the missile launch, CNN includes a subtitle on “condemnations” where the responses of US politicians and leaders are assessed. The Sputnik, too, reports on the matter. In particular, The Sputnik touches on the matter but in a less critical way. Unlike the CNN, The Sputnik outlines some advantages that the North Korean missile had over its prior missiles and is keen on reporting that some leaders in the US affirm of this. Additionally, the site adds the views of Russia and China’s leaders. It also expands on what appears as allied exercises that “destabilize” the Korean peninsula. The South China Morning Post reports condemnation by China on both parties. Lu and Delaney report, “China warns tensions on the Korean peninsula are reaching a “tipping” point but add that the US and its allies are partly to blame” (Lu & Delaney). The BBC, on the other, touches on the views of Japan, South Korea, and the USA. It also includes a response on how the international community led by the USA responded as well as how China and Russia viewed the matter. Unlike The Sputnik and CNN, however, BBC appears less biased ensuring that information from varied sources is considered.Looking at the reports, several things arise. Firstly, all the four outlets appear to condemn the illegal nuclear missile tests. Nonetheless, the way that the reporters wrap up the matter differs slightly. They manipulate important parts of the report to suit the interests of the target market or the sources of power that have an influence over the sites. For instance, the CNN is ensures that the information is suitable for Americans and does not shy away from posting rebuking statements by US leaders. This report is in line with the fact that the US leads the way in threatening to take action on the communist state. Thus, the CNN report fits well with the overall strategy of creating anger within the mainland to support relevant external operations. The BBC is the least biased paper, which also takes after the views of Britain, which to this day has been less vocal on condemning North Korea. On the other hand, the incident of the South China Morning Post condemning both parties reflects the stance of the Communist Part of China that has been open on opposing any wars and acts of destabilization around its neighborhood. The Sputnik also reflects the views of Russia, which has been partial in supporting North Korea. Apparently, both The Sputnik and South China Morning Post are critical of North Korea.The four news outlets portray the same Korean peninsula issue but from a different and slightly manipulated position. When viewed critically, there appears to be those who condemn strongly, those who condemn both parties, and those who careless on who is wrong. Understanding this biases can be helpful to a reader as he or she can get to understand what type of information is credible and what type is fabricated.ConclusionOverall, being able to differentiate credible from less credible news is important for media literacy. The four news channels have shown that people can talk about the same matter but differently. It is advisable that people adopt media literacy to avoid being misled.Works Cited“The Sputnik,” North Korea Launches Ballistic-Reports, 2017,https://sputniknews.com/asia/201711281059514411-north-korea-fires-ballistic-missile/Cohen, Zachary., Browne, Ryan., & Gaouette, Nicole. New Missile Test Shows North KoreaCapable of Hitting All of the US Mainland. The CNN, 2017, http://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/28/politics/north-korea-missile-launch/index.htmlLu, Zhenhua, & Delaney, Robert. North Korea Fires Missile Over Japan For First Time Since2009, Prompting Trump To Insist ‘All Options Are On The Table’: Defense and Diplomacy, South China Morning Post, 2017, http://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy-defence/article/2108697/north-korea-fires-another-missile-over-japan-reportsWingfield-Hayes, Rupert. North Korea Fires Second Ballistic Missile Over Japan. BBC, 2017,http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-41275614