What does the media of a smaller state say about bigger states? - Spotlighting Bangladesh’s leading online media

Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper examines how the Bangladeshi online media argues the country’s bilateral relations with bigger states by examining the media coverage on China, Japan, the US, and India. Methodologically, the study was conducted by combining quantitative text mining and qualitative analysis using the pentagonal model. The result shows that the Bangladeshi media publishes mostly economic related issues relating to each bigger state in line with the relationships based on investment, infrastructure, manufacture and exports between them and Bangladesh. In addition, comments on what Bangladesh expects to gain from bigger states are also observable. While Bangladesh faces various political and security issues with each of the bigger states, the media narrative is that the government is actively addressing these issues with the political motivation to enhance economic development, proactively engaging in balanced diplomacy while avoiding being passive and disadvantaged vis-à-vis the bigger states.