Press Coverage of Post-Presidential Election Turmoil: Not Yet Hate Speech, but Reinforcing Resentments

In: Issues & studies: a social science quarterly on China, Taiwan, and East Asian affairs, Band 40, Heft 3-4, S. 354-361

Abstract

Uses discourse analysis to examine the role of newspaper reports & people's responses following Taiwan's third & closely contested presidential election of 20 Mar 2004. The texts of the five major dailies were searched for evidence of possible hate speech toward "others" in the after-election analysis. It was concluded that the newspapers did not manipulate the stratagem of hate speech, yet the deep distrust toward "others" they communicated did not live up to their role in the public sphere. The post-election discussion should have represented both sides of the conflict & worked to engender reconciliation. L. A. Hoffman