LEAST BIASED
These sources have minimal bias and use very few loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by appealing to emotion or stereotypes). The reporting is factual and usually sourced. These are the most credible media sources. See all Least-Biased sources.
- Overall, we rate the Daily NK as least biased on the left-right political scale due to minimal political editorializing; however, news reporting is consistently negative toward North Korea. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to the use of anonymous sources and information that cannot be verified.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: LEAST BIASED
Factual Reporting: MIXED
Country: South Korea
MBFC’s County Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Website
Traffic/Popularity: Medium Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
History
Founded in December 2004, Daily NK is an online news publication based in Seoul, South Korea. Focusing on North Korean issues, the outlet gathers information from a network of informants inside and outside North Korea. It is part of the Unification Media Group, a South Korea-based non-profit organization.
Read our profile on South Korea’s media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
Daily NK’s ownership isn’t explicitly mentioned on its site, but is affiliated with the Unification Media Group. It receives funding from several entities and private donors, notably the U.S. Congress-funded NGO, the National Endowment for Democracy; according to their grants database, Daily NK has received grants totaling $1,968,000.
Analysis / Bias
In this section, we analyze the bias in Daily NK’s reporting, highlighting two articles of dozens reviewed. We examine the language, framing, and cited sources to assess the level of objectivity and potential bias.
The first article, “N. Korean Teacher Replaced after Encouraging Competition among Students,” is framed in a way that reads more like a narrative than a news report. The framing focuses on replacing a teacher for encouraging competition, implicitly critiquing North Korea’s education system that aligns with Daily NK’s critical stance toward the North Korean regime. The article lacks cited references and relies on anonymous sources within North Korea, as per Daily NK’s reporting methodology. While using anonymous sources is explained as a security measure, it raises concerns about the article’s accuracy, objectivity, and credibility of the information presented.
The second article, “N. Korea’s Defense Ministry Criticizes Military Units That Failed to Collect Enough Salt,” discusses the North Korean Ministry of Defense’s criticism of military units for failing to meet salt collection quotas. The article cites an anonymous source in Pyongyang and mentions that some logistics officers were found to have sold some of the salt they collected for personal gain. At the bottom of the article, Daily NK includes the same note about their reporting methodology, stating that they work with a network of anonymous sources due to security concerns.
In general, Daily NK has a critical stance toward North Korea and receives U.S. government-funded support. Its use of anonymous sources raises questions about article verifiability. Caution is advised when interpreting its reports. We rate their information as ‘factually mixed’ due to uncertainty about its accuracy.
Failed Fact Checks
Overall, we rate the Daily NK as least biased on the left-right political scale due to minimal political editorializing; however, news reporting is consistently negative toward North Korea. We also rate them Mixed for factual reporting due to the use of anonymous sources and information that cannot be verified. (M. Huitsing 09/11/2023)
Source: https://www.dailynk.com/
Last Updated on September 11, 2023 by Media Bias Fact Check
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