Palestine in Media: A Critical Discourse Analysis of Israeli Media in Influencing Online News Headlines

Abstract

This article broadens insights into the role and impact of media in disseminating information, particularly in the digital era that influences public perceptions. The presentation of news content not only serves as an information conduit but also plays a pivotal role in shaping opinions and perspectives on an issue. Within this context, the study of media bias and the representation of the Palestine-Israel conflict becomes relevant as it sparks debates regarding the varied presentation of information by media due to differing backgrounds and interests. The importance of the media's role in shaping public opinions and how news is constructed becomes the focal point of this analysis. In exploring the causes of media bias, the study identifies factors influencing news composition, such as the influence of advertisers, political interests, government influence, and inter-media dynamics. This phenomenon is particularly evident in the coverage of the Palestine-Israel conflict by The Jakarta Post and The New York Times, indicating tendencies to support different sides based on the originating country's background of the news provider. The analytical methods applied in this research, namely Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) and Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL), provide a robust framework for understanding language structures, agent representations, and underlying ideologies within media discourse. Employing these approaches, the study successfully reveals a bias favoring Palestine in news coverage, depicting Israel as a provocateur and perpetrator of crimes. These findings underscore the significance of awareness regarding media bias in consuming news and how external factors can influence the representation of complex issues such as the Palestine-Israel conflict. Studies of this nature expand our understanding of the media's role in shaping public perceptions and highlight the need for a more critical approach in responding to information presented by mass media.