Journalism’s Power of Discourse: Be it Through A Periscope or Kaleidoscope

Abstract

The present research paper delves into the power of journalism’s discourse through a comparative analysis of literary and non-literary journalism. Drawing on the metaphorical imagery of periscopes and kaleidoscopes, the study aims to explore how journalism’s discourse shapes readers’ perceptions and interpretations of events, blurring the line between reality and fiction. The paper adopts a qualitative research approach with a phenomenological design. Through in-depth analysis and interpretation, the study examines the power of fictional and non-fictional journalism, drawing upon the concept of metaphor to describe how the discourse of journalism operates. The research questions are explored within the frameworks of Post-Truth, Linguistic Relativism, and Transcendentalism to gain a comprehensive understanding of the power inherent in these two genres of journalism. The empirical material for this research comprises a wide range of literary and non-literary journalistic texts, including articles, news reports, and narrative journalism pieces. Additionally, scholarly works discussing the impact of journalism’s discourse on readers’ perceptions are included to provide a holistic view of the subject. The study reveals that journalism’s discourse, whether in literary or non-literary form, holds a double-edged power over readers’ minds. Utilizing the metaphorical comparison of periscopes and kaleidoscopes, the research highlights the relative and manipulative nature of journalistic language. Moreover, the power of literary journalism, bolstered by imaginative and creative writing techniques, exerts a profound influence on shaping readers’ worldviews. The research emphasizes the significance of understanding journalism’s power in shaping public opinion and perception. While acknowledging the complexity and nuance of this phenomenon, the study underscores the need for continued research to gain further insight into the workings of journalism’s discourse in a rapidly evolving media landscape.

Keywords

• literary and non-literary journalism
• journalism’s discourse
• post-truth
• post-modernism
• linguistic relativism
• transcendentalism