North Korean Media
The media of North Korea is among the most strictly controlled in the world. The constitution provides for freedom of speech and the press; however, the government prohibits the exercise of these rights in practice, unless it is in praise of the country and its government and leader. The government not only tightly controls all information coming in and out of the country, but seeks to mold information at its source. A typical example of this was the death of Kim Jong-iI, news of which was not divulged until two days after it occurred. Kim Jong-un, who replaced his father as leader, has given every indication he will largely follow in his father's footsteps, however new technologies are being developed, and being made more freely available in the country. State-run media outlets are setting up websites, while mobile phone ownership in the country has escalated rapidly. By early 2012 there were more than a million mobile phone owners in North Korea.
Reporters Without Borders has consistently ranked North Korea at or near the bottom of its yearly Press Freedom Index since it was first issued in 2002. In its 2011-2012 report, RSF classified North Korea's media environment as 178th out of 179 countries in the rankings, only above that of Eritrea.
The state news agency, the Korean Central News Agency, provides the only source of information for all media outlets in North Korea.
Read more about North Korean Media: Newspapers, Television and Radio, Internet, Access To Foreign Media
Famous quotes containing the words north and/or media:
“Ah, how shall you know the dreary sorrow at the North Gate,
With Li Po’s name forgotten,
And we guardsmen fed to the tigers.”
—Li Po (701–762)
“Few white citizens are acquainted with blacks other than those projected by the media and the so—called educational system, which is nothing more than a system of rewards and punishments based upon one’s ability to pledge loyalty oaths to Anglo culture. The media and the “educational system” are the prime sources of racism in the United States.”
—Ishmael Reed (b. 1938)