[KS] BBC journalists pose as LSE university students in North Korea

[don kirk]

I responded to BBC in approximately these words:I have been to North Korea a number of times (most recently in July) without declaring myself a journalist. How else are you going to get insights into the country -- even if you're always accompanied by a guide-minder no matter who are you or claim to be? BBC should definitely run the piece as enterprise journalism at a critical time. The LSE students who were on the trip should be honored to have participated even if they didn't know at the time that BBC was doing the piece.Don Kirk

--- On Sun, 4/14/13, Keith Howard <kh at soas.ac.uk> wrote:

From: Keith Howard <kh at soas.ac.uk>
Subject: [KS] BBC journalists pose as LSE university students in North Korea
To: koreanstudies at koreaweb.ws
Date: Sunday, April 14, 2013, 4:15 PM

I trust that some list members have heard of the lead news story today on the BBC, about three BBC journalists who accompanied students from the LSE – under the disguise of themselves claiming to be students. A BBC spokesman has claimed that to film the documentary (due to be broadcast tomorrow), it was worthwhile putting students at risk (Can this be right? – it was what their spokesman said on Radio 4 this afternoon). 

See: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22144667.
I would be interested in colleagues' reactions. 

Prof. Keith HowardSOAS, University of LondonThornhaugh Street, London WC1H 0XG, UKkh at soas.ac.uk; 0207 8984687; 07805 048801


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