A COMPARATIVE DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF DAWN NEWSPAPER AND THE NEW YORK TIMES’ HEADLINES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE GAZA WAR

Abstract

This research article compares the headlines of two newspapers, The New York Times and Dawn Newspaper, regarding the recent conflict in Gaza and analyzes how these two newspapers portray the Gaza war through their headlines. Fairclough’s theoretical framework of Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) has been applied for critical and comparative analysis of the news headlines. In the current study, headlines are selected from the period of (28-Oct-2024 to 6-Dec-2024). The analysis revealed notable differences in their discourse in terms of tone, news framing techniques, ideological perspectives, and linguistic themes shaped by the socio-political environment and target audience of each newspaper. This research paper highlights that these newspapers are influenced by their sociopolitical, sociocultural, and socio-geographic environments, national interests and policies and their target audiences. Due to these factors, different narratives are seen in the reporting of the Gaza war in the headlines of both newspapers. Dawn Newspaper appears to support Palestine and criticizes Israel’s policies and actions. It focuses on the atrocities and humanitarian crisis in Palestine, criticizes, and directly blames Israel for all disasters. It reflects a pro-Palestinian stance. In contrast, The New York Times emphasizes regional stability and diplomatic initiatives, adopting a more neutral, balanced, and less emotional tone that often reflects Western geopolitical interests. This analysis illustrates how political, social, and cultural context and intended audiences influence news narratives. Moreover, this research illustrates how the media influence and shape public opinion.