Reporting of the Mainstream English Language Filipino Media on the Huangyan Island Incident: The Case of the Philippine Daily Inquirer

Abstract:While the Huangyan Island Incident is the focus of much scholarly research, very few scholars have considered research on related media content.This article advances such research by applying key tools from media studies to analyze media context of the Philippine Daily Inquirer.The Inquirer is referred to as the number one paper in the Philippines and considered largely representative of the country’s mainstream English language media.The paper applies context analysis and textual analysis to study the paper’s reporting of the controversy over the Huangyan Island.Incorporating perspectives from both Media Studies and International Relations, this paper analyzes the form, context, and bias of Inquirer reporting.By uncovering theoretical and empirical trends in reporting, this paper aims to generate more scholarly attention to these issues, and assesses the quality of reporting from a professional standpoint.