271. Name: Amy M. Franck Title: Vying for Victimhood: Sub-textual Moral Judgements and News Organization Standpoints Reporting Gaza 2014 (A Comparison between Al Jazeera and the Associated Press) Institution: Lund University Country: Sweden Date: 2019 Language: English Abstract: This research critically analyzes how one of the most controversial conflicts in the world is morally constructed as a part of the Mediapolis. The research employed qualitative content analysis, symptomatic reading, and a framing analysis of 18 articles taken from Al Jazeera satellite channel and the Associated Press. The analysis aims at comparing how each of the two outlets constructs a relationship of moral proximity between its readers and the different national groups, Palestinians and Israelis in this case. By using the analytical tools and combining the theories of Chouliaraki, Putnam, and Bauman, two moral categories emerge, that of the ‘Victim and Villain’. The level of emotionalism around either of these categories creates a moral proximity for the readers, corresponding to the national group they culturally identify with, Palestinians for Al Jazeera, and Israelis for the Associated Press. This warping of coverage to suit audience cultural preferences distorts how the conflict is seen from afar, humanizing one group whilst dehumanizing another. This sort of representation challenges cosmopolitan ethics, pollutes the Mediapolis, and likely influences public policy, with real-world outcomes for Palestinians and Israelis.
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