CNN Criticized for Thumbnail Error in Haneda Airport Collision News
A news report on the passenger plane collision at Haneda Airport in Japan by NHK. / Screenshot of NHK News
Recently, a French news channel sparked controversy by broadcasting a graphic image combining the South Korean and Japanese flags while reporting on the tense relations between North and South Korea. Following this, American news network CNN is now facing criticism for using a thumbnail of a Korean Air passenger plane while posting a news video about a collision accident at Haneda Airport in Tokyo, Japan, involving a Japan Airlines (JAL) plane on its YouTube channel. A thumbnail is a representative image that previews content on platforms like YouTube.
CNN’s Use of Incorrect Image for Haneda Airport Collision News
On the 3rd, various online communities in Korea shared photos that captured the news video CNN posted on its YouTube channel right after the Haneda Airport accident.
Around 5:47 PM on the 2nd, a large fire broke out when a JAL passenger plane landing at Haneda Airport collided with a Maritime Security Agency aircraft preparing for takeoff. Immediately following the accident, all passengers on the JAL plane successfully evacuated, but tragically, five crew members from the Maritime Security Agency aircraft were discovered deceased inside their plane.
However, the CNN video titled “JAPANESE PLANE ON FIRE” oddly features a thumbnail of a Korean Air passenger plane. Unrelated to the incident, a photo showing a Korean Air passenger plane was mistakenly displayed instead of the correct image of the JAL passenger plane. This is an apparent mistake.
The comments on the video, including feedback from Korean netizens, consistently highlighted the error in the thumbnail. Upon recognizing the situation, CNN took corrective action to rectify the thumbnail and align it with the video’s actual content.
Similar Errors by Other Foreign Broadcasters
A few days ago, there were reports of similar editing errors made by foreign broadcasters. On the 31st of last month, a French news channel faced criticism for airing a graphic deemed “disgraceful” due to its resemblance to the Japanese flag instead of the South Korean one.
The French channel LCI focused on introducing the comments of Kim Jong Un, Chairman of the State Affairs Commission of North Korea, at the 5th-day meeting of the Workers’ Party Plenary Session and discussed the issue of the Korean Peninsula.
In this process, LCI drew a red circle in the center of the Taegeuk pattern of the South Korean flag graphic they placed in the background. At a glance, it could be confused with the Japanese flag.
By. Jung Young Ahn
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