Implicit Stances Taken by ABC and BBC towards Indonesia Presidential Election: CDA Perspectives

Ahmad Idris Asmaradhani

doi:10.30870/jels.v4i2.6226

Abstract

In linguistics, stance can be defined as linguistic mechanism used by the speakers/writers to express the feelings, assessments, attitudes, judgments, or commitments about the proposition. This paper is intended to analyze some statements, as the linguistic mechanism, used by ABC and BBC in conveying their stances towards Indonesia Presidential Election. It explores the implicit stances through the uses of lexical choices; nominalization; passivization; and over completeness in the editorials related to (1) the contenders in the election, (2) the uniqueness of the election, (3) the preliminary results: what the contenders said, and (4) issues surrounding the election. Applying van Dijk’s models of CDA to examine the propositions representing the four points in editorials during weeks before and after the election date, analysis was carried out at the selected statements in the texts of their online news. The results showed that the statements constructed by ABC and BBC in the editorials are implicitly taking stances towards a particular side. On the whole, however, most of the statements can be seen as neutral. In terms of van Dijk’s ‘ideological square’ some linguistic features used by ABC and BBC under analyses are dichotomizing one contender into ‘Us’ while the other into ‘Them’ and on the whole as neutral. Based on the novelty of the analysis, prospects for future researches are suggested

Highlights

The April 2019 Indonesia General Election was one of the big interests of many news resources around the globe
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK This paper explores the dynamics of the relationship between atmospheric events around the presidential election and the discourse of mass media reportage, online newswire reports
Through textual analysis of news items in terms of van Dijk‘s ideological square, this paper explores how statements in the fourteen editorials of ABC and BBC implicitly express their stances towards Indonesia presidential election

Summary

Introduction

The April 2019 Indonesia General Election was one of the big interests of many news resources around the globe. Because Indonesia is the third largest democracy, and because this election was a huge one When the news being reported is about crises or unpleasant events, it is very possible that holistic objectivity may not be realized. In the process of preparing a news to be presented to public, a certain event can be depicted in various intended perspectives. 60), for example, Western media discourses are often used to portray and resonate the dominant western ideological perspectives, and in some way they are mediated account of what really happened In Wilkin‘s view (1997, p. 60), for example, Western media discourses are often used to portray and resonate the dominant western ideological perspectives, and in some way they are mediated account of what really happened (see: Ferguson, 1998, p. 155). Herman and Chomsky (1988, p. 2) argue that media are the domination and the marginalization of information by the elites, carried out intentionally, always subjected, and capable of shaping the consumers‘ minds to accept or reject such depiction

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Discussion

Conclusion