Pyeongchang 2018: Sport, politics and the media game
The media get caught up in North Korea’s diplomatic games at the Winter Olympics. Plus, journalism in post-coup Turkey.
On The Listening Post this week: How the media get caught up in North Korea’s diplomatic games at the Winter Olympics. Plus, July 15, 2016 – the date Turkey got a new national narrative.
Pyeongchang 2018: Sport, politics and the media games
At the opening ceremonies of the 2018 Winter Olympics, athletes from two countries still officially at war – North and South Korea – marched into the stadium together, under one flag.
Those images of a momentarily unified Korea were beamed around the world and will have registered in Washington.
Wherever they light the Olympic flame, there are going to be geopolitics in the mix. But these games, given where they are, and the governments involved – have taken Olympic politics to another level.
Contributors:
Jung Woo Lee, lecturer in sports diplomacy, University of Edinburgh
Andray Abrahamian, visiting fellow, Pacific Forum CSIS
Jenny Town, managing editor, 38 North
Sung Yoon Lee, professor of Korean Studies, Tufts University
On our radar
Richard Gizbert speaks to Listening Post producer Tariq Nafi about:
- Unilever’s threat to pull its ads from Facebook and Google
- the Indian journalist fired over a tweet criticising the country’s media
The day Turkey got a new national narrative
Sometimes a date on the calendar becomes synonymous with an event, a seminal moment for a new media narrative.
September 11, 2001, is the most obvious. But for Turks it’s July 15, 2016, the day when a botched coup attempt left hundreds dead and thousands injured.
Since then, Turkey‘s media – increasingly intimidated by a government that has arrested hundreds of critical journalists – have played a vital role in framing July 15, 2016, as an ongoing explanation for the challenges facing the country, and as a way of crushing dissent.
Contributors:
Nihal Bengisu Karaca, columnist
Ali Saydam, columnist, Yeni Safak; honorary chairman, Bersay Communications Group
Ragip Duran, columnist Arti Gercek; Broadcasting Council, Arti TV
Bilge Yesil, assistant professor, City University of New York