An ideological critique of 'BBC Online': The case of the Northern Ireland conflict

The British Broadcasting Corporation is generally considered a reliable source for international news. Their web site includes a Northern Ireland news page, which provides daily coverage of the province including extensive information on the ongoing peace process. This study examines the online coverage of the Northern Ireland conflict in the year 2000. Through a textual analysis of 21 articles, an ideological critique of the BBC's rhetoric is provided. To reveal the ideological perspective of the BBC Online, the verbal text used in each article is carefully analyzed, the sources consulted are examined in terms of representation, and the images that accompany the article are studied to determine if the images match the stories or simply cater to browsers. The findings show that despite their promise of impartiality, the BBC presents a view of the Northern Ireland conflict that leans toward a unionist perspective.