The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology (문화기술의 융합)

The International Promotion Agency of Culture Technology (국제문화기술진흥원)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

A Comparative Analysis of Fact-Checking News Fairness in South Korean Broadcasting

한국 방송의 팩트 체크 뉴스 공정성 비교 분석

  • Received : 2023.04.25
  • Accepted : 2023.05.10
  • Published : 2023.05.31
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

To compare whether broadcast fact-checking news, which aims to overcome the limitations of objective reporting, ensures fairness, we analyzed 227 fact-checked news stories aired on the main news of KBS, MBC SBS, TV Chosun, JTBC MBN, and YTN from January 1, 2022 to May 31, 2022, when the 20th presidential and local election campaigns were held. The analysis showed clear differences in fact-checking targets and narratives by broadcasters. In general, MBC, JTBC,and YTN were more likely to favor liberal parties such as the Democratic Party, while TV Chosun had a lot of narratives favoring the conservative camp. SBS and MBN were relatively neutral. KBS seemed to be trying to remain outwardly neutral. SBS and TV Chosun were the most active in fact-checking, but they covered a wide range of issues and were characterized by a bias toward contextualizing issues that viewers were curious about, rather than clarifying the facts. The projection of ideological bias by broadcasters in fact-checking narratives is a challenge that needs to be overcome.

객관보도의 한계를 극복하고자 출발한 방송의 팩트체크 뉴스가 공정성을 담보하고 있는지를 비교하기 위해 20대 대선과 지방선거전이 치러진 2022년 1월1일부터 2022년 5월31일까지 KBS와 MBC SBS, TV조선과 JTBC MBN, YTN의 메인뉴스에 방영된 팩트체크 뉴스 227건을 비교 분석했다. 분석결과 방송사에 따라 팩트체크 검증대상과 서술방식에 뚜렷한 차이를 보였다. 대체로 MBC와 JTBC YTN이 민주당 등 진보 진영에 우호적인 서술이 많았던 반면 TV조선은 국민의 힘 등 보수 진영에 우호적인 서술이 많았다. MBN은 비교적 중립적인 서술태도를 보인 것으로 나타났다. KBS는 외견상 중립을 지키려는 흔적이 역력했다. SBS와 TV 조선이 팩트체크에 가장 적극적이었으나 이슈를 폭넓게 다루면서 사실여부를 명확하게 가리기보다는 시청자들이 궁금해 하는 이슈를 대상으로 맥락 설명에 치우친 것이 특징이다. 팩트체크 서술에서 방송사별로 이념적 편향성이 투영되는 것은 극복해야할 과제이다.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

이 논문은 2021년 대한민국 교육부와 한국연구재단의 지원을 받아 수행된 연구임 (NRF-2021S1A5B5A17048234)

References

  1. S.H,Kim, W.K,Kim"Check the Fact Check", Media Issue, Vol 3, No 7,pp.1-9, 2017 https://doi.org/10.1109/VTCFall.2017.8288279
  2. Y.M,Baek, S.H,Kim, "An Exploratory Study of Exposure, Perceptions of Impact and Sharing Behaviors of Fact-check News", Korean Journal of Journalism and Communication Studies, Vol 61, No 6, pp.117-146, 2017. https://doi.org/10.20879/kjjcs.2017.61.6.004
  3. E.R.Chong, "The Characteristics of Korea's Fact Check Journalism",Journal of Communication Research, Vol 55, No 4, pp.5-53, 2018. https://doi.org/10.22174/jcr.2018.55.4.5
  4. L.Graves, Deciding what's true: The rise of political fact-checking in American journalism, New York, Columbia University Press, 2016.
  5. L.Graves, B.Nyhan and J.Reifler, The diffusion of fact-checking:Understanding the growth of a journalistic innovation, American Press Institute, 2015.
  6. S.H.Kim, Y.M.Baek,"The Effects of Fact-check News on Political Allegations during the Presidential Election : Persuasion or Boomerang Effect ? ",Joural of Communication Research. Vol 55, No 1,pp.161-194, 2018. https://doi.org/10.22174/jcr.2018.55.1.161
  7. D.H.Ma, T.S.Oh, S,H.Kim, Researching the Korean fact-checking model for making journalism public, Korea Press Foundation Report, Vol 6, 2013
  8. C.M.Lee, Media bias in fact-checking journalism practices, Master's Thesis, Hankuk University of Foreign Studies,2019
  9. M. Marietta, D. C. Barker and T. Bowser, "Fact-checking polarized politics:Does the fact-check industry provide consistent guidance on disputed realities?",The Forum , Vol 13, No 4, pp.577-596, 2015. https://doi.org/10.1515/for-2015-0040
  10. Y.J.Choi, "An Analysis on Fact-Checking for the 19th Presidential Election News on each of Press" ,Journal of political communication, Vol 49,pp.131-177, 2018. https://doi.org/10.35731/kpca.2018..49.005
  11. E.S. Yoo, "Legal regulation of fake news - Focusing on the protection of societal legal interest", Journal of Media and Law, Vol 17, No 2, pp.39-68, 2018. https://doi.org/10.26542/JML.2018.8.17.2.39
  12. Y.M.Kim, "Third-person effect on fake news in social media : Focusing on false information related to infectious diseases",Journal of Korean Broadcasting, Vol 35, No 1, pp.5-32, 2021.
  13. Y.S.Hwang, The problem with defining the concept of fake news, Newspapers and broadcasting, Vol 556, pp.6-11, 2017.
  14. M. Schudson, "The objectivity norm in American journalism", Journalism, Vol 2, No 2, pp.149-170, 2001. https://doi.org/10.1177/146488490100200201
  15. W.S.Hong, "Toward A Practical Understanding of Journalism Objectivity: A Case Study of 'Fact Check'", Journal of communication Theory,Vol 14, No 4, pp.183-226,2018. https://doi.org/10.20879/ct.2018.14.4.183
  16. L.Graves,"Anatomy of a fact check:Objective practice and the contested epistemology of fact checking", Communication, Culture & Critique, Vol 10, No 3, pp.518-537, 2017. https://doi.org/10.1111/cccr.12163
  17. L.Graves, B.Nyhan and J.Reifler, "Understanding innovations in journalistic practice: A field experiment examining motivations for fact checking", Journal of Communication, Vol 66, No 1, pp.102-138, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12198
  18. S.W.Oh, A.R.Park, Public perception of fake news, Korea Press Foundation, 2017.
  19. E.H.Cho, "The Effect of News Media Usage and Trust on Fake News Recognition, Discernment and Attitude to Accept", , Media Science Research, Vol 19, No 1, pp.180-213, 2019. https://doi.org/10.14696/jcs.2019.03.19.1.180
  20. S.O.Yoon, "A discussion on the concept and scope of fake news", Journal of Media and Law, Vol 17, No 1, pp.51-84, 2018. https://doi.org/10.26542/JML.2018.4.17.1.51
  21. W.S.Lee,"What is Fake News? A Multidimensional Discussion of Fake News Concepts and Scopes",Journal of Media and Personality rights,Vol 4, No 2, p.173-214, 2018.
  22. Y.S,Hwang, O,S,Kwon, "A Study on the Conceptualization and Regulation Measures on Fake News - Focused on self-regulation of internet service providers ", Journal of Media and Law, Vol 16, No 1, pp.53-101, 2017. https://doi.org/10.26542/JML.2017.4.16.1.53
  23. S.W.Jung, "In what situations does the 'backfire effect' or 'attitude change' of the audiences exposed to the fact check news occur? : Mechanism study based on Elaboration Likelihood Model", Korean Broadcasting Journal,Vol 32, No4, pp.103-145, 2018.
  24. M. A. Amazeen, E. Thorson, A. Muddiman, and L.Graves,"Correcting political and consumer misperceptions: the effectiveness and effects of rating scale versus contextual correction formats", Journalism & mass communication quarterly, Vol 95, No 1, pp. 28-48, 2018. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699016678186
  25. N.Y.Lee, "News Organizations in the 19th Presidential Election in South Korea: Based on Principles of the International Fact-Checking Network".Media Information Research, Vol 55, No 4, pp.99-138, 2018. https://doi.org/10.22174/jcr.2018.55.4.99
  26. H.J.Kim, K,H.Eom, J.J.Jung,"A Study of Fact-Checking Status and Characteristics of Political Communication", Social Science Discourse and Policy,Vol 15, No 1, p.275-301, 2022. https://doi.org/10.22417/DPSS.2022.4.15.1.275
  27. S.W.Jung, Research on Improving the Effectiveness of FactCheck News, Seoul National University Doctoral Dissertation, 2020.
  28. S.J.Kim, Y.G,Cheong, "A Study on the Orientation of Korean Fact-Check Journalism", Korea Press Information journal, Vol 107, pp.7-42, 2021. https://doi.org/10.46407/kjci.2021.06.107.7
  29. J.Y.Yum, S.H.Jeong, "Research on fake news perception and fact-checking effect : Role of prior-belief consistency",Korean Journal of Journalism and Communication Studies, Vol 62, No 2, pp.41-80, 2018. https://doi.org/10.20879/kjjcs.2018.62.2.002
  30. K.Garrett, E.Nisbet and E.Lynch, "Undermining the Corrective Effects of Media-Based Political Fact Checking? The Role of Contextual Cues and Naive Theory",Journal of Communication, Vol 63, No.4, pp.617-637, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcom.12038
  31. B. Nyhan, E. Porter, J. Reifler and T.Wood,"Taking Fact-Checks Literally But Not Seriously? The Effects of Journalistic Fact-Checking on Factual Beliefs and Candidate Favorability", Political behavior, Vol 42, pp.939-960, 2019. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11109-019-09528-x
  32. C.York, J.Ponder, Z.Humphries, C.Goodall, M.Beam, C.Winters,"Effects of Fact-Checking Political isinformation on Perceptual Accuracy and Epistemic Political Efficacy",Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, Vol 97, No 4, pp.958-980, 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699019890119
  33. J.E.Uscinski, and R. W.Butler,"The epistemology of fact checking", Critical Review, Vol 25, No 2, pp.162-180, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1080/08913811.2013.843872
  34. E.R.Chong, "Fact Check News and the Recovery of Credibility of South Korea's Broadcast Journalism: Focusing on the Broadcast Reporters' Perceptions on Formatting and News Values of Fact Check News ", Broadcasting and Cultural Studies,Vol 31, No 1, pp.47-101, 2019.
  35. D.D'Alessio and M.Allen, "Media bias in presidential elections: a meta-analysis", Journal of Communication, Vol 50, No 4, pp.13-156, 2000. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2000.tb02866.x
  36. A. J. Schiffer, "Assessing partisan bias in political news: The case(s) of local senate election coverage",Political Communication, Vol 23, No1, pp.23-39, 2006. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584600500476981
  37. H.Y.Won, S.M. Yoon,"A Content Analysis on the Fairness of the Main News of Korean General Programming TV Stations: Centered around Main News During the 18th Pre-Presidential Election Period", Korean Broadcasting Journal, Vol 29, No 1, pp.117-148, 2015.
  38. E.R.Cheong, "Fact-checking news implications and limitations", Kwanhoon Journal, Vol 143, pp.19-25, 2017.
  39. J.S.Ahn, "The impact of fact-checking segments on media trust in television news",Media Information Research, Vol 56, No 4, pp.282-312, 2019.
  40. S.J.Kim ,"Content analysis study on the object, verification method, and result presentation of fact-checking broadcast news", Korean Broadcasting Association Conference article, pp.295-303, 2018.
  41. S.J.Kim, Y.G,Cheong"A Study on the Characteristics of Political Bias of Korean Press : Focused on the Analysis of 19th Presidential Election Coverage", Korea Press Information Journal, Vol 88, p.110-145, 2018. https://doi.org/10.46407/kjci.2018.04.88.110