Media Studies Paper

Media Studies 321w: News Analysis Spring 2018 Lab 3, Semiotic Analysis This lab invites you to conduct a semiotic analysis of news coverage of a single event or controversy of your choosing. Your task in this lab is to track how a particular keyword or catch phrase establishes what an event or controversy comes to mean, and how these preferred meanings normalize particular cultural beliefs, attitudes, and myths. The point of the lab is to reveal the ideological power of news coverage to shape what emerges as “true” in society. 1. Begin by selecting a news event or controversy that received significant news coverage, and which is searchable using a single keyword or catch phrase. Examples of keywords include “#me too,” “terrorist,” “alt-right,” “Russia inquiry,” “school shooting,” “police killing,” “sanctuary cities,” “border wall,” “anchor babies,” “chain migration.” You must pick only one such keyword. 2. Select a time frame for your analysis, preferably covering the peak of the news cycle about the news event or controversy. Limit your time frame to no less than two weeks. 3. Assemble a sample of six stories – three from mainstream and three from alternative news sources – that use the selected keyword or catch phrase repeatedly and prominently. You may choose any combination of print, radio, television, cable or established online news sources for this lab. Do not include op-eds, weblogs, RSS, SMS, or peer-to-peer news content. 4. Carefully analyze the keyword as it appears in each news story in your sample –

(i) How many times does the keyword repeat? Where in the story does the keyword appear? (ii) Does the story prefer a specific meaning of the keyword? What is this meaning? Is this

preferred meaning implied or it is defined specifically? If the story uses (or quotes) outside sources to define the preferred meaning, which sources does it use?

(iii) Does the preferred meaning imply or name a particular group of stakeholders? Which stakeholders are implied or named?

(iv) Does the preferred meaning confirm or amplify particular cultural beliefs, attitudes, and myths? Which cultural beliefs, attitudes, and myths are confirmed or amplified?

5. Download the code sheet for Lab 3 from BlackBoard to your computer or tablet, and fill in the data points as requested. Guidelines for Lab 3 Notes Due via BlackBoard on Friday, March 23rd latest by 4:30 PM, worth 2.5 points Submit completed code sheets for any two news stories in your sample. Attach a bibliography listing all six stories in your sample. You must submit the note by the listed deadline in order to receive credit for this lab.