In this thesis, I have found that while China claims to remain neutral between Ukraine and Russia, China’s news media, "Xinhua News Agency" and "China Daily", seem to present a clear antagonist...Show moreIn this thesis, I have found that while China claims to remain neutral between Ukraine and Russia, China’s news media, "Xinhua News Agency" and "China Daily", seem to present a clear antagonist between the countries, namely the U.S. Through several discursive techniques, the two news organizations present the U.S. as a cunning actor that drags others into a ‘proxy war’.Show less
This bachelor thesis asks why, when there are existing factors allowing the special administrative region of Macau to report news on the neutral side, Macau-based news agencies support Mainland...Show moreThis bachelor thesis asks why, when there are existing factors allowing the special administrative region of Macau to report news on the neutral side, Macau-based news agencies support Mainland China's take on the Taiwan question. This thesis argues the explanation for this puzzle lies in the notion of the established national identity for both Mainland China and the port-city of Macau.Show less
Visual research in communication studies regarding terrorism in the media has been overlooked. Television and other sources of broadcasting play a significant role in the media landscape and in the...Show moreVisual research in communication studies regarding terrorism in the media has been overlooked. Television and other sources of broadcasting play a significant role in the media landscape and in the understanding of the public. The way terrorist incidents are reported and communicated can alter or influence the perception and perspective of the public. An increased understanding of the way the media reports a terrorist incident visually is as vital. The visual side is as important to the understanding as the written text. With the use of a case study, the Paris attacks of the 13th of November 2015, and a theoretical framework by Kress and van Leeuwen (2015) this thesis will attempt to shed light on the way different broadcasts use visuals and what they can potentially do with their viewers. By analyzing 18 videos of three different broadcasters using the qualitative data analysis software Atlas.ti an answer will be formed to the research question. The codes that are applied to videos originate from the framework and account for the pure visual aspects and includes added context codes. First, the broadcast is analysed separately and per dimension the most noteworthy codes are discussed with example. Also, the implications for the viewers will be elaborated. The findings, and thus the answer to the research question, indicate that all three broadcasters utilize visual elements that try to establish a connection between the represented participants in the footage with the viewer. Relying on the closeness of the shots of the victims but also on reactional vectors in narrative processes that try to convey a story and involve the viewer in the situation.Show less
Studies show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantining, lockdowns and a palpable shortage of outdoor activities led to increased media consumption as a means for audiences to keep themselves...Show moreStudies show that during the COVID-19 pandemic, quarantining, lockdowns and a palpable shortage of outdoor activities led to increased media consumption as a means for audiences to keep themselves occupied, as they cope with the psychological consequences of extended periods of social isolation. Not only did the quantity of consumption increase, but the nature in which audiences engaged with media has changed also. For instance, many have started listening to podcasts during the pandemic. This appears indicative not only of a desperation to try new things, but also that new listeners were attempting to mimic social interaction somehow. Para-social interactions, the one-sided interactions between mediated personalities and their audiences, have existed long before the Web 2.0 era of media. This specific development is a hint that audiences were not only increasingly subjected to these interactions, they may have been actively seeking them out. Cum Town, a vulgar podcast featuring three comedians who have basically become niche micro-celebrities, is one such podcast that saw its audience grow during the pandemic. Given the mischievous character of this show, it seems pertinent to ask whether an increase in such interactions is a good thing, as well as what other repercussions come with this type of consumption.Show less
This research is geared towards analysing the portrayal of the Russian Communist party, the KPRF in the regional and federal newspaper Argumenty i fakty in the campaign preceding the 2016 Russian...Show moreThis research is geared towards analysing the portrayal of the Russian Communist party, the KPRF in the regional and federal newspaper Argumenty i fakty in the campaign preceding the 2016 Russian Election. It uses discourse analysis of three selected articles as well as second level agenda setting analysis of articles concerning the KPRF which appeared in the federal edition of AiF and in two of its available subsidiaries where the party respectively did best and worst, namely the Omsk and Kazan editions.Show less
The media has played a centripetal role in shaping public opinion and setting domestic and foreign affairs agendas. The Republic of Turkey is a ubiquitous factor in Greek historiography, nation...Show moreThe media has played a centripetal role in shaping public opinion and setting domestic and foreign affairs agendas. The Republic of Turkey is a ubiquitous factor in Greek historiography, nation-building processes, and foreign security policy. Throughout their unstable and fluctuating relations, the Greco – Turkish dyad has received copious media attention. In 2019 Turkey and Libya signed a maritime exclusive economic zone (EEZ) Memorandum of Understanding. Such a settlement allegedly balked the EU's planned project to enhance the EastMed pipeline and violated Greece's EEZ, consequently causing an intense media reaction throughout Greece. This thesis applies Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) to the publications of Kathimerini and Ta Nea, Greece's most widely read daily newspapers. The analysis brings insight into the media's sociopolitical role, its position regarding the citizenry and the state, and Turkey's importance as an external agent that reinforces the Greeks' in-group cohesion. Considering Aristotelian topoi to approach CDA, the analysis indicates that the Greek media's narrative on the Turkey-Libya settlement frames (i) Turkey as a threatening 'other,' (ii) portrays Greece as the referent object, and (iii) rejects the validity of such a settlement under international law, reinforcing the previous two points.Show less
This thesis aims to explore whether the song WAP (2020) by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, exemplifies a paradigm shift in feminism. WAP caused much outcry and grew rapidly in fame because of its...Show moreThis thesis aims to explore whether the song WAP (2020) by Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion, exemplifies a paradigm shift in feminism. WAP caused much outcry and grew rapidly in fame because of its sexually provocative imagery and lyrics, unlike other similar songs. The question arises: If Cardi and Megan’s song is so unique that it might be the start of a feminist paradigm shift, or whether it follows an already established trend? First, the song is looked at scene by scene, scouting for reoccurring elements. Then, general representational tactics of women in media are analyzed, which help evaluate the elements in WAP further, determining feminist or non-feminist tactics. Lastly, the music of other female artists like Madonna, Lil Kim and Christina Aguilera are studied in order to determine whether WAP is following a trend or stands on its own. After exploring these different aspects, it is possible to see that WAP is a starting point for a feminist paradigm shift in media, of which there are likely more artists or songs to follow.Show less
Newspapers all around the world have been reporting on the COVID-19 epidemic very frequently. Every newspaper however, has constructed their own narrative on the crisis, as well as on how the...Show moreNewspapers all around the world have been reporting on the COVID-19 epidemic very frequently. Every newspaper however, has constructed their own narrative on the crisis, as well as on how the People's Republic of China dealt with it. This thesis will show how "The Guardian" and the "People's Daily" have each constructed their own distinct narratives on the COVID-19 epidemic in China.Show less
This study evaluates coverage of the Dutch printed media on the restitution of colonial objects between 1950 and 1995 and compares this to the specific case of the restitution in 2015. Over a 100...Show moreThis study evaluates coverage of the Dutch printed media on the restitution of colonial objects between 1950 and 1995 and compares this to the specific case of the restitution in 2015. Over a 100 articles were extracted from the KB-Delpher database to analyse the changing press coverage by embedding this in wider literature regarding the restitution of colonial objects, (colonial) heritage and decolonization. This study shows that the attribution of value towards 'objects' intensifies the complexities of the decolonization of mindsets and institutionsShow less
Colour. A colour, the colour, any colour. Colour in everyday life. Coloured things that individuals use regularly. Colour on the walls, colour in the frames. Colour in the photographs. Colour on...Show moreColour. A colour, the colour, any colour. Colour in everyday life. Coloured things that individuals use regularly. Colour on the walls, colour in the frames. Colour in the photographs. Colour on the multiple screens. Colour in media and films. Furthermore, via things, colour has this potential to speak and evoke memory. In this thesis, I discuss how colour links with memory. More precisely, I analyse how coloured things work as memory’s mediators in two films: And the Wife shall Revere her Husband (1965), and The Red Balloon (1956). In the first case, I claim that coloured things can evoke memory, while in the second, how coloured things work as memes that create memory. In this process, my personal stories assisted me to approach colour in this way. Colours work within a network with their surroundings. In the following pages, I reflect on my own past experiences and I claim that colour and memory have an indisputable connection.Valuable theories and methods from different disciplines, such as media and film studies, sociology and philosophy, stand by my side in this journey. Colours are endless and constant. Without any further delay, allow me to remember and analyse moments through a rainbow costume, a homemade pie, a white hat, and a red balloon.Show less
This thesis discusses the show 'Dexter' (2006) and proves that Dexter confronts its audience with their own (often contradictory) ideas on right and wrong and seeks to show them how to judge those...Show moreThis thesis discusses the show 'Dexter' (2006) and proves that Dexter confronts its audience with their own (often contradictory) ideas on right and wrong and seeks to show them how to judge those that do not fit into the framework of the ruling ethical order. This analysis ties into the bigger picture of how society views ‘the serial killer’ (the ultimate criminal) and the attached moral implications of sympathetic responses to criminals in our current day and age.Show less
