A Critical Discourse Analysis of War-Related Terms in BBC and CNN Of Gaza Israel: NOW Corpus (2024)

Abstract

In an era of rapid digital communication, news media play a pivotal role in shaping public perception, especially during global conflicts. The language used in media reporting can subtly influence readers’ understanding, emotions, and opinions through particular word choices and framing techniques. In the case of the Gaza-Israel conflict, international news media play a key role in constructing narratives through their lexical and discursive choices. This research aims to analyze the use of war-related terms, particularly the word “airstrike,” in the reporting of the Gaza-Israel conflict by international media BBC and CNN, using Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) based on Teun A. van Dijk’s model. The data were collected from the NOW Corpus (News on the Web), which compiles online news articles from various countries. The analysis was conducted at the micro (textual structure), meso (social cognition), and macro (social context) levels to uncover hidden ideologies and power dynamics embedded in media discourse. The finding shows that the term “airstrike” frequently co-occurs with specific state actors, particularly “Israeli,” and is often used in contexts emphasizing destruction, civilian casualties, and humanitarian consequences. The implication of this study is that word choices in news reporting, such as “airstrike,” can subtly reflect bias and influence public perception of global conflicts. Both BBC and CNN frequently associate the term with Israeli military actions, but CNN places greater emphasis on humanitarian impact and civilian suffering.