A CRITICAL DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF Media Represenation AMERICA -IRAN WAR FOR MEDIA DISCOURSE IN SOME SELECTED CHANNELS

Abstract

One form of discourse is media discourse, which covers channel reports and different types of news. War news is a prominent focus of many media reports, and each channel reflects particular ideological positions. This study conducts a Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) of media coverage of the American–Israeli–Iran conflict across four international news channels: CNN (North America), DW News (Europe), Al Jazeera, and CGTN (Asia). The primary objective is to uncover hidden ideologies and discursive preconceptions in these reports. The study tries to focus on the news coverage of the America–Israel–Iran war varies across major international outlets in ways that may systematically influence audience attitudes, yet there is limited comparative analysis detailing how language choices, casualty reporting specificity, and strategic-rationale framing differ across these channels. This study addresses the gap by identify the following points: To determine the extent to which each outlet’s ideological orientation predicts consistent patterns of representation, to identify and compare framing strategies used by CNN, DW, Al Jazeera, and CGTN in reporting and to contribute empirically grounded insights into how international news coverage can influence public perception and moral evaluations during interstate conflict. The study employs an eclectic model based on Teun A. van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach (1998, 2000). The analysis has two levels: (1) application of the Ideological Square to examine strategies of positive self-presentation and negative other-presentation, and (2) analysis of specific discursive strategies such as the number game, actor description, and victimization. By comparing reports from different continents, the study demonstrates how media discourse shapes reality through polarization (Us vs. Them). Conclusions show that geographical and political affiliations influence patterning and the construction of ideological dominance