Abstract
Undeniably mass media have become the primary source of information and communication for the majority of, if not all, members of modern societies. The nature of the information thus communicated and the manner in which it is dispensed through media certainly have a profound influence on people’s perceptions of the world around them. The relation between the media, on one hand, and culture, social life, and politics on the other, is an interesting one in which media fulfills dual functions, reflecting and also shaping issues occurring within these three domains (Bell & Garrett, 1998). In the initial media coverage of the 2011 Norway terrorist attacks, some western media authors, inaccurately and unjustly, held Muslims and Islamic groups as being responsible for the attacks. Using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), this study seeks to ascertain how language was manipulated in this coverage of the terrorist attacks in order to give expression to blind prejudice against Islam and Muslims. As findings of the analyses reveal, the tones of allegation in these articles and reports differed dramatically from one article to another ranging from tones of mere suspicion to those of overt accusation. The varying degrees of uncertainty or assertion of the authors’ statements were reflected in the varied linguistic forms and devices used within the discourse.
Highlights
News events media select to report and the manner in which they are reported, have a fundamental influence on readers’ perceptions of selected events or issues
As findings of the analyses reveal, the tones of allegation in these articles and reports differed dramatically from one article to another ranging from tones of mere suspicion to those of overt accusation
By using an advanced search mode in Google, the researcher ran a research for news articles and reports in which Islam and other Islam-related phrases were presented in conjunction with western media coverage of the Norwegian’s terrorist attack
Summary
News events media select to report (from among the numerous events and issues in current affairs) and the manner in which they are reported, have a fundamental influence on readers’ perceptions of selected events or issues. The fundamental role of western media, especially in the USA and Britain, can be held accountable for planting seeds of prejudice and irrationality, and creating a distorted picture of Islam and Muslims in westerners’ minds. Muslims are always held responsible for any terrorist attack occurring in the world and the Oklahoma City terrorist attack is a case in point. When it happened, U.S and Canadian media agencies speculated concerning an Islamic connection to the terrible attack and Muslims were blamed for killing innocent civilians, a claim that turned out to be completely false as two fundamentalist Christians were eventually convicted of committing this crime. The anti-Muslim representations in western media have been blamed for inciting many to commit violent crimes, offenses, and attacks against Muslims who live in western countries
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