Mediated Text Analysis

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vzEWqy3fBaQ - A Sky News report of a train crash January 30th 2011

The video concentrates mostly on the damage that has been caused in the train crash panning along the devastation, images of strewn debris, twisted metal and items that belong to the passengers of the trains.

Use of certain words like sickening impact, chaos, dark and cold enforce the images used. There is a lack of imagery showing any of the survivors being rescued or helped away from the wreckage. This is a method frequently employed by many news reports to enforce the negative side of any tragedy or disaster.

Media Discourse and Analysis Week 1

Realities Created by Media

When the media is delivering a report on events that are happening or have happened in the world, their choice of words or method of delivery can influence people's perception of the events. Many reports tend to isolate a particular person or action and use this as the main focus of what is happening.

A recent example of this was during the student protests in both Britain and Ireland. The British news reports and newspapers focused on scenes on a youth who was attempting to smash a window of a shop. While the main focus during the Irish protests was when several people staged a sit down protest in one of the government buildings, which sparked minor scuffles between protesters and the Gardaí.