Media Portrayals of Palestinians and Israelis in Anglophone Countries

Media portrayals of certain groups can affect our perception and opinion regarding them. Public opinion, partly formed by exposure to media sources, influences domestic politics, international relations, and policy making. Due... [ view full abstract ]

Media portrayals of certain groups can affect our perception and opinion regarding them. Public opinion, partly formed by exposure to media sources, influences domestic politics, international relations, and policy making. Due to the complexities of the Palestinian- Israeli conflict, it is important to examine how both groups are portrayed in the Anglophone world to assess whether it is national stand that reflects on media coverage of Palestinians and Israelis, or whether it is the predisposition of the people towards the conflict. Do they support expansion of Israeli settlements or Palestinian human rights, and during which events? This research investigates media portrayals of Palestinians and Israelis in newspaper articles in Anglophone countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Australia. I will be using a relatively new methodology that measures the tone of articles mentioning Palestinians or Israelis or both. Analyzing newspaper articles from 1993-2017 from pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli newspapers is the process through which certain trends will be discovered. The start date is 1993 because it marks the signing of the Oslo Accords, the first official peace treaty between Palestinians and Israelis. This research will also look at the political economy of these media sources by examining their ideology, supporters, and source of funding. Looking at whether these newspapers work within their ideology to support their bottom line will be examined by comparing the ideology and the predominant tone of their articles. The research is still in progress and is open to feedback, questions, and new perspectives.