Major project ( Draft 2 )

Racism in the news : A critical  discourse  analysis  of  news reporting

in two prominent Australian newspapers

 

Peter, T(2000)  conducted a study  to probe for  ideological construction of racism imbricated within the structure of  newspaper reporting.  The research focused on news reports relating to a Vietnamese gang (5T) in Australia whose violent, drug-dealing activities received publicity in two Sydney-based newspapers: The Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph. The analysis of these reports adheres to the analytic paradigm of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and is undertaken in two very distinct stages. The first, a general characterization of the newspaper discourse, revealed evidence of a systematic stereotyping of “others” (Asians) as well as stereotyping of the ethnic community by the “white” majority. This is followed by a comparative analysis of two reports, which reveals evidence of racist ideology manifested in an asymmetrical power discourse between the (ethnic) law-breakers and the (white) law-enforcers.  The results showed that in presenting headlines and news content related to the police, the newspapers will choose to use vocabulary and sentence structures that are positive and associated with the ideology of the powers of the police (i.e. "Got you ... police hit back in the heroin war", "Two gunned down in heroin gang war".  While the news regarding the 5T gang focuses on using words that highlight crime and mayhem, such as "Street gang's culture of murder".

This study presents evidence that there is indeed ideological construction of racism imbricated within the structure of newspapers reports relating to the aforementioned Vietnamese gang in Australia.  However, there are some limitations.

1. The researcher used data drawn from only a few newspapers that are very pro-police. Usually in such a study, data should be gathered from myriad and eclectic news sources such as in  Hongladarom(1996) have used two texts  by a comparative study of discourse in ways that differ both in the newspapers and television.

2. In this study, the researcher seems to purposely disregard linguistic that is germane to the study. The study should focus on linguistic, pragmatics and semantics. In addition, the research could be more comprehensive when discussing the various components of news and social context. Because it is useful to the study of   racism in media discourse.

3. To analyze the data, the researcher has divided the analysis into two sections: a general characterization of the newspaper discourse, and a comparative analysis of two texts. However, the researcher did not analyze in the inter-text, which is extremely important in the presentation of the ideology behind the news reporting; that there is a relationship between text and the socio-cultural.

The strengths of this study lies in its methodology. It proves that certain key words (i.e. them, crime, etc.) when used to describe the Vietnamese gangs resonate with Australians and cause them to think negatively about the gangs. Portrait of an Asian man in the eyes of most people means a bad person. Although this research was conducted in Australia, it doesn’t take in account Asian minorities residing in Europe or America as in the work of van Dijk(1984) was discussed and examples of research, most of which refers to a group of white people in Europe. Another key advantage of this study is that the results were clearly illustrated with illustration figures and conclusion was made based on the results in the study.

 

References

Hongladarom,K.(1996).Competing discourse on hilltribes: media representation of  ethnic    

            minorities in Thailand.Silpakorn,20(3),11-47.

Peter,T.(2000).“Racism  in  the news : A  critical  discourse  analysis  of  news  reporting  in  two

Australian newspapers” Discourse and Society,11(1),7-49.

van Dijk,T.A.(1984).Prejudice in discourse. Amsterdam : John Benjamins..

Major Project ( draft 1)

Racism in the news : a critical discourse analysis of news reporting
in two Australian newspapers

Peter Teo (2000) conducted a study to probe for ideological construction of racism imbricated within the structure of newspapers reporting. The research focused on news reports relating to a Vietnamese gang in Australia whose violent and drug-dealing activities have received publicity in two Sydney-based newspapers : The Sydney Morning Herald and The Daily Telegraph. The analysis of these reports adheres to the analytic paradigm of Critical Discourse Analysis ( CDA) and undertaken in two stages. The first, a general characterization of the newspaper discourse, revealed evidence of a systematic “othering” and stereotyping of the ethnic community by the “white” majority. This is followed by a comparative analysis of two reports, which surfaces evidence of racist ideology manifest in an asymmetrical power discourse between the (ethnic) law-breakers and the (white) law-enforcers. The study concluded whit a discussion to explain the evidence and reinforces the marginalization of recent Vietnamese migrants into Australia. The results showed that in presenting headlines and news content related to the police or the state will have the choice of vocabulary and sentence structures that are associated with the ideology of the powers of the police. Power control and suppression of crime, such as using the word "Got you ... police hit back in the heroin war", "Two gunned down in heroin gang war". While the news about the 5T is about crime and mayhem, such as using the word "Street gang's culture of murder" The choice of vocabulary and sentence structure, as this is consistent with the concept of van Dijk (1984) at that when they presented themselves are often present themselves in a positive way. If not, their group is presented in a negative way. As an act of Vietnamese and Asian people who live in this country as "the tall youth of Asian appearance" "Vietnamese gangsters" "Groups of youth, many of South-East Asian appearance" So when it is said to them, this group repeatedly referred to as the offender, it is that this group has become a symbol of criminals. When there is no mention of minorities will give you a little like "Neighbors of the dead man (Tri)", "Ms Gerry Trimarch (Tri's wife)", but refers to the authorities to provide a lot of both duties and responsibilities as well. The researcher investigated that in this research study, the researcher focused on the relationship between discourse and ideology of racism is found. Event in Australia, will be the more liberated. However, the issue of racism is still a latent ideology, through various forms of public discourse and reinforces the ideology of social intentionally by naturally.
This study can prove that ideological construction of racism imbricated within the structure of newspapers reports relating to a Vietnamese gang in Australia. However, there are some limitations.

1. The researcher used data from only the newspapers that presentation by side from the single newspaper, as a results seem to unclearly. It look like uncover all the socio-cultural context. Normally, many research study in racism by CDA have to use another texts for analyses as reference Hongladarom(1996) have used two texts by a comparative study of discourse in ways that differ both in the newspapers and television. It also used data from interviews with the idea of producing a text attributed to analyze it. Moreover, in the work of van Dijk (1984) was described in detail and the study clearly renders such a conversation in everyday. He has proposed a method for determining the discourse that is racism or not. Is determined by the presentation of self in a positive way. And the other group in a negative addition, an assortment of discourse is presented ideology of racism into 4 types: conversation, news reports, textbooks and political discourse: parliamentary debates.

2. In this study, the researcher seem to indiscriminate on linguistic that so important for analysis. It should be focus on linguistic, the pragmatics and semantics. In addition, the research could be more comprehensive on the components of news and social context. Because, it is useful to study of racism in media discourse.

3. To analyze the data, the researcher has divided the analysis into two sections: a general characterization of the newspaper discourse, and a comparative analysis of two texts. However, the researcher should be analyze in the inter-text, which are particularly important in the presentation of the ideology behind the news reporting that there is a relationship between text and the socio-cultural.

The strengths of this study is that the methodology in proving what interesting is that the mention of Vietnamese living in Australia is the "they" is quite clear in the minds of people in this country. Furthermore, the Vietnam people's offense has become a representation of Asians who came to live in this country. Portrait of an Asian man in the eyes of most people, it was presented in a negative is not valid and governments need to correct it. Although this research is to study in Australia, it might be seen that the minority is not mentioned as a minority living in Europe or America. As in the work of van Dijk(1984) was discussed and examples of research, most of which refers to a group of white people in Europe. Nevertheless, in this research, an ethnic minority who are Asians as the results led to the creation of new ideas to increase and creates new knowledge. Another advantage of this study is that the results were clearly described with illustrated figures and conclusion were made according to the results in the study.

References
Hongladarom,Krisadawan.(1996).Competing discourse on hilltribes: media representation of
ethnic minorities in Thailand.Silpakorn,20(3),11-47.
Peter Teo.2000.“Racism in the news : a critical discourse analysis of news reporting in
two Australian newspapers” Discourse and Society,11(1),7-49
van Dijk,T.A.(1984).Prejudice in discourse. Amsterdam : John Benjamins..