Year: 2014
Type: dissertation
Abstract: This study examined TV coverage of terrorism from Al-Jazeera and Al-Arabiya using media\nframing analysis. The study attempted to address two main objectives. These objectives are\nexploring the terrorism issues in both Arabic news channels under the period of study and the\nextent to which the two networks differ or agree; and identifying the factors that might have\ninfluenced each of these two news providers’ news selection processes and the framing of\nterrorism on broadcast networks. Using a framing approach, this study initially used content\nanalysis to examine a number of framing devices based on past literature such as types of news\nframes, framing perspective, geographical location of terrorism coverage, sources used,\nperpetrators of terrorism, victims of terrorism, episodic versus thematic frame, and responsibility\nframes. Furthermore, discourse analysis was applied to understand the link between discursive\npractice and the broader social and cultural developments and structures. Language extracts taken\nfrom both TV networks’ broadcasts were compared, taking into consideration different contextual\nfactors that contribute to the production and consumption of news discourse about terrorism.\nThis study found that the stereotype that ‘the terrorist is a Muslim’ prevailed in the news\ncoverage that was analysed. Furthermore, contrary to the pattern among western news sources,\nboth networks were consistent in at least implying that the majority of terrorism victims are\nMuslims. In addition, the findings reveal that too much media focus was placed on disseminating\nand supporting official positions and decisions, and that humanitarian suffering from terrorism is\nseldom brought to the attention of the public.
Author: Saeed Ali N. Abdullah
Language: English
Subfield: Communication
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2414980036