Date of Award

Spring 5-1-2026

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Communication and Digital Studies

Department Chair or Program Director

Whalen, Zach

First Advisor

Crosby, Emily

Major or Concentration

Communication and Digital Studies

Abstract

Journalists face significant challenges reporting on North Korean information due to restricted access, state-controlled media, and pervasive amounts of disinformation. This study includes a qualitative content analysis of journalistic practices and existing academic frameworks related to verification and reporting in highly restricted information ecosystems. The findings suggest and recommend that competitive media pressures often encourage the circulation of sensational or unverified claims, particularly in coverage of highly controlled media states like North Korea. In response, this argues that journalists must adopt a verification-centered approach to reporting that prioritizes accuracy, minimizes sensationalism, and clearly communicates uncertainty. This research highlights the growing influence of digital media and advancing technologies, like Artificial Intelligence (AI), in shaping how disinformation is produced and consumed. Overall, this research calls for the importance of ethical reporting practices and media literacy to mitigate the spread of disinformation and to improve public understanding of information originating from state-controlled media systems.

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