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Article published In:
ITL - International Journal of Applied Linguistics
Vol. 127/128 (2000) ► pp.71–99

Spanish public Radio

Fictionalization of Events in the Presentation of conflictive News

| General Linguistics University of A Coruña (Spain)

The main hypothesis sustained in this paper maintains that language is not a mere reflection of external reality but that language also powerfully contributes to it constitution. In this sense, the analysis shows the different symbolic constructs the interviewer establishes in the presentation of the information in various headlines and interviews on the Spanish public radio; symbolic constructs that contribute to the fictionalization of the events. By employing these communicative practices the interviewer manages to activate a cognitive model that presents the Government as having been betrayed by some public people, and as the victim of a conspiracy by certain sectors of the private media and individual judges.

The interpretation of these symbolic practices shows that they contribute to the delegitimation of people involved in those matters. In addition, they constitute an indirect alliance with the thesis defended by the ruling political party on those issues. There is also evidence which indicates that the power exercised by this public media is aimed at manipulating the audience's cognitive representations.

Keywords: Pragmatics, discourse analysis, public discourse, media discourse, power,, ideology, Spanish media, Spanish public discourse
Published online: 1 January 2000
DOI logo
https://doi.org/10.1075/itl.127-128.04mor
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