Comparative analysis for Korean and Japanese major newspapers` coverage of Korea vs. Japan matches in World Baseball Classic

Abstract

This study attempted to figure out to what extent Korean and Japanese newspapers cover the Korea-Japan matches of World Baseball Classic in terms of the number of articles and photographs and their location and size, and how the newspapers portray their country`s victory and defeat against its rivalry. Two major newspapers with the most subscription were selected in each country. The content analysis was used for quantitative comparison. And the interpretive textual analysis was employed to analyze the symbolic meanings and implications of newspaper headlines and articles covering victory or defeat. The results showed that Korean newspapers showed more coverage of Korean-Japan matches than Japanese newspapers; they presented more articles and photographs than the Japanese; they covered these rival competitions in many pages outside the sports-section. Each country`s newspapers revealed the extended, political, or ideological report practices of the matches; when their nation won the game, they tended to represent the outcomes of the games as the victory of symbolic war or the increase of people`s pride and dignity; when their nation lost, the newspapers tended to highlight the positive and constructive aspects of the games, instead of covering people`s disappointment and frustration.