Steven Robinson

Introduction & Mythology

 

For my investigation I decided to view the differences between multiple news reports covering the same event. In greater detail, each news report is from a variety of countries. By analyzing multiple reports I am able to investigate the differences and similarities of linguistic and grammatical techniques used by a variety of news reporters covering the same event, which is presented to the public on a national scale. The event that is being covered by Fox, ITV and the BBC for my investigation is the 2011 Japan tsunami.

My data is collected from YouTube provides me with each report given at the time of Japans disaster. Each Broadcast will be transcribed into a script where I can then analyze all linguistic and grammatical techniques used within the broadcast by the reporters. Not only will I be able to analyze linguistic and grammatical techniques but I can also look at gender as well because all reports have both male and female speakers having debates and conversations with others which is where power theories will fall into.

All reports were done at the time of the crisis rather in the morning or afternoon the next day, there is a combination of both female and male speakers, spontaneous and planned speech which is quite useful for my investigation because it provides me with multiple areas of language to cover. Every report has similarities and differences to analyze in greater depth, which in the end would allow me to see if my hypothesis on my investigation is true or false.

Steven Robinson

Transcript of ITV News Coverage: Japans Natural Disaster  
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MYDT48bMj5A

Key:

(.) - Indication of a pause.

(2) - Indication of a two second pause etc.

<Interruption>

[Introduction to news on Japan natural disaster]

Alistair Stewart: Japans double disaster, its strongest earthquake on record creates a devastating thirty foot Tsunami (.) raging water surged across the land (.) tearing down building carrying debris and people at terrifying speed

Andrea Benfield: Early reports for the number killed in the hundreds but many, many more are missing (.) the true human cost of this disaster have yet to emerge (2). Britain and the rest of the world stand ready to help in the search and rescue operation that will follow. (Other stories introduced skipped to the news coverage at 1.28)

Alistair Stewart: Good evening, nature unleashed its fearsome power on the people of Japan today in a double disaster that has caused massive damage (.) early this morning a huge earthquake under the sea, the seventh most powerful earthquake every recorded caused destruction and panic across the country.

Andrea Benfield: But worst was to come, a devastating Tsunami trigger by the quake, that has obliterated communities washing away; homes, businesses and cars and taking an unknown number of lives. (.) The Earthquake eight thousand times more powerful than the recent one in Christchurch was centre off Japans northeast coast near the city of Sendai.