Discourse and manipulation: Stories about China in the New York Times

This article examines how stories about China are presented in the New York Times. Using critical discourse analysis as a general theoretical foundation and van Dijk’s socio-cognitive approach as a particular analytical framework, we explore how the New York Times aims to influence its target audience with certain discourse patterns or discourse strategies. We find that the discourse strategies it uses include presenting a dichotomy (two contradictory parties), using many voices (dialogistic expansion), pretending to be balanced in its use of voices, presenting information in a detailed way, and presenting a negative image of China through the eyes of witnesses. It seems that the New York Times is representing events objectively, but a detailed analysis of the discourse strategies it uses shows that it supports the voices of “protestors” or those involved in “riots”, while the other protagonists in these news stories are not accorded due importance. Voices and positions which favor the Chinese government are thus backgrounded. In this sense, the New York Times manipulates its audience via the discourse strategies it employs in news stories about China.

► We have analyzed the discourse strategies that the New York Times uses to represent China.
► The strategies include presenting a dichotomy, using many voices, pretending to be balanced in its use of voices, etc.
► The New York Times manipulates its audience via the these discourse strategies in news stories about China.