Research Article
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The Impact of Partisan Media on Minority Groups: Incivility and Polarization in American Political Discourse

Year 2024, Issue: 11, 28 - 46, 30.08.2024
https://doi.org/10.69494/jirps.1492964

Abstract

The purpose of this research article is to examine the complex relationship between partisan media and its impact on minority groups, specifically African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, in American political discourse. Through a comprehensive analysis of news headlines from major cable news networks such as CNN, Fox, and MSNBC, the study examines how selective framing and biased coverage by media outlets influence the portrayal of this minority groups. By employing sentiment analysis techniques on a dataset extracted from LexisNexis, the study reveals the prevalence of negative tones in news headlines related to African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans. The findings shed light on the role of partisan media in shaping public perceptions, reinforcing biases, and contributing to political polarization. The implications of these findings underscore the importance of promoting informed and inclusive media practices to foster a more equitable and engaged society.

References

  • Bibliography Abrajano, M. A., & Hajnal, Z. L. (2020). The politics of race and immigration in the United States. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/rep.2016.25 Appel, M., & Weber, S. (2021). The influence of media on prejudice and attitudes. Journal of Media Psychology, 33(1), 10-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650217715543
  • Arceneaux, K., & Johnson, M. (2013). Changing minds or changing channels? Partisan news in an age of choice. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2012.737424 Baum, M. A. (2003). Soft news and political knowledge: A reexamination of media effects on democracy. Political Communication, 20(2), 173-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10584600802426965 Benkler, Y., Faris, R., & Roberts, H. (2018). Network propaganda: Manipulation, disinformation, and radicalization in American politics. Oxford University Press.
  • Benson, P. (2014). Narrative Inquiry in Applied Linguistics Research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 34, 154–170. https://doi:10.1017/S0267190514000099 Bhonde, A., Kaur, S., & Kaur, R. (2015). Sentiment analysis of news headlines. International Journal of Computer Applications, 116(18), 1-5.
  • Bonyadi, A., & Samuel, A. (2013). The role of headlines in news articles. Journal of Communication Studies, 45(2), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013494863
  • Cho, H., Li, W., Cannon, J., Lopez, R., & Song, C. (2020). Testing three explanations for stigmatization of people of Asian descent during COVID-19: maladaptive coping, biased media use, or racial prejudice?, 26(1), 94–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2020.1830035 Davis, N. T., & Dunaway, J. L. (2016). Party polarization, media choice, and mass partisan-ideological sorting. Public Opinion Quarterly, 80(S1), 272-297. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfw002
  • Dhanani, L. Y., & Franz, B. (2020). Unexpected public health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey examining anti-Asian attitudes in the USA. International Journal of Public Health, 65(6), 747–754. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00038-020-01440-0/TABLES/2 Feldman, L., Maibach, E. W., Roser-Renouf, C., & Leiserowitz, A. (2012). Climate on Cable: The Nature and Impact of Global Warming Coverage on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, 17(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940161211425410 Fujioka, Y. (2011). Perceived Threats and Latino Immigrant Attitudes: How White and African American College Students Respond to News Coverage of Latino Immigrants, 22(1), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2011.546743 Garrett, R. K. (2009). Echo chambers online? Politically motivated selective exposure among Internet news users. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 14(2), 265-285. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2009.01440.x
  • Gil de Zúñiga, H., Correa, T., & Valenzuela, S. (2012). Selective Exposure to Cable News and Immigration in the U.S.: The Relationship Between FOX News, CNN, and Attitudes Toward Mexican Immigrants, 56(4), 597–615. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2012.732138
  • Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Anchor Books.
  • Heather, M., & Emily, S. (2019). Media framing and minority groups. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 45(1), 13-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2019.1574221
  • Holtzman, N. S., Schott, J. P., Jones, M. N., Balota, D. A., & Yarkoni, T. (2011). Exploring media bias with semantic analysis tools: Validation of the Contrast Analysis of Semantic Similarity (CASS). Behavior Research Methods, 43(1), 193–200. https://doi.org/10.3758/S13428-010-0026-Z/FIGURES/1
  • Ifantidou, E. (2009). Newspaper headlines and relevance: Ad hoc concepts in ad hoc contexts. Journal of Pragmatics, 41(4), 699–720. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PRAGMA.2008.10.016 Iyengar, S., & Hahn, K. S. (2009). Red media, blue media: Evidence of ideological selectivity in media use. Journal of Communication, 59(1), 19-39.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2008.01402.x
  • Kingdon, J. W. (1984). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Little, Brown. Lajevardi, N. (2019). The Media Matters: Muslim American Portrayals and the Effects on Mass Attitudes, 83(3), 1060–1079. https://doi.org/10.1086/711300 Marcus, G. E. (2000). Emotions in politics. In D. P. Green & J. S. Shapiro (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of political psychology (pp. 1-30). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.3.1.221
  • Mastro, D., & Stamps, K. (2018). The impact of media on minority populations. Communication Research, 45(4), 546-570. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110481129-018 Mutz, D. (2016). In-Your-Face Politics: The Consequences of Uncivil Media. Princeton: Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400865871
  • Pew Research Center. (2023). Cable News Fact Sheet. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/cable-news/
  • Sui, M., Paul, N., Shah, P., Spurlock, B., Chastant, B., & Dunaway, J. (2018). The role of minority journalists, candidates, and audiences in shaping race-related campaign news coverage. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 95(4), 1079-1102. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699018762078
  • Nisar, H., Bleich, E. Group status, geographic location, and the tone of media coverage: Jews and Muslims in New York Times and Guardian Headlines, 1985–2014. CMS 8, 3 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-019-0153-3 Prior, M. (2013). Media and political polarization. Annual Review of Political Science, 16, 101-127. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-100711-135242
  • Reny, T., & Manzano, S. (2016). The negative effects of mass media stereotypes of Latinos and immigrants. Media and minorities, 4, 195-212.
  • Shim, K. (2016). Subjectivity in media source perception: Fox news versus NPR. Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies, 5(2), 177–197. https://doi.org/10.1386/AJMS.5.2.177_1
  • Stroud, N. J. (2010). Polarization and partisan selective exposure. Journal of Communication, 60(3), 557-576.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2010.01497.x
  • Tuan, M. (1999, March 1). Forever Foreigners or Honorary Whites? . Rutgers University Press. https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/forever-foreigners-or-honorary-whites/9780813526249
  • Tukachinsky, R., Mastro, D., & Yarchi, M. (2017). The impact of media on perceptions of minority groups. Journal of Communication, 67(4), 546-570. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2017.1344669
  • Valentino, N. A., Hutchings, V. L., & Williams, D. (2004). The Impact of Political Advertising on Knowledge, Internet Information Seeking, and Candidate Preference. Journal of Communication, 54(2), 337–354. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2004.tb02632.x

The Impact of Partisan Media on Minority Groups: Incivility and Polarization in American Political Discourse

Year 2024, Issue: 11, 28 - 46, 30.08.2024
https://doi.org/10.69494/jirps.1492964

Abstract

The purpose of this research article is to examine the complex relationship between partisan media and its impact on minority groups, specifically African Americans, Latinos, and Asians, in American political discourse. Through a comprehensive analysis of news headlines from major cable news networks such as CNN, Fox, and MSNBC, the study examines how selective framing and biased coverage by media outlets influence the portrayal of this minority groups. By employing sentiment analysis techniques on a dataset extracted from LexisNexis, the study reveals the prevalence of negative tones in news headlines related to African Americans, Latinos, and Asian Americans. The findings shed light on the role of partisan media in shaping public perceptions, reinforcing biases, and contributing to political polarization. The implications of these findings underscore the importance of promoting informed and inclusive media practices to foster a more equitable and engaged society.

References

  • Bibliography Abrajano, M. A., & Hajnal, Z. L. (2020). The politics of race and immigration in the United States. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/rep.2016.25 Appel, M., & Weber, S. (2021). The influence of media on prejudice and attitudes. Journal of Media Psychology, 33(1), 10-20. https://doi.org/10.1177/0093650217715543
  • Arceneaux, K., & Johnson, M. (2013). Changing minds or changing channels? Partisan news in an age of choice. University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.1080/10584609.2012.737424 Baum, M. A. (2003). Soft news and political knowledge: A reexamination of media effects on democracy. Political Communication, 20(2), 173-190. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10584600802426965 Benkler, Y., Faris, R., & Roberts, H. (2018). Network propaganda: Manipulation, disinformation, and radicalization in American politics. Oxford University Press.
  • Benson, P. (2014). Narrative Inquiry in Applied Linguistics Research. Annual Review of Applied Linguistics, 34, 154–170. https://doi:10.1017/S0267190514000099 Bhonde, A., Kaur, S., & Kaur, R. (2015). Sentiment analysis of news headlines. International Journal of Computer Applications, 116(18), 1-5.
  • Bonyadi, A., & Samuel, A. (2013). The role of headlines in news articles. Journal of Communication Studies, 45(2), 123-135. https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244013494863
  • Cho, H., Li, W., Cannon, J., Lopez, R., & Song, C. (2020). Testing three explanations for stigmatization of people of Asian descent during COVID-19: maladaptive coping, biased media use, or racial prejudice?, 26(1), 94–109. https://doi.org/10.1080/13557858.2020.1830035 Davis, N. T., & Dunaway, J. L. (2016). Party polarization, media choice, and mass partisan-ideological sorting. Public Opinion Quarterly, 80(S1), 272-297. https://doi.org/10.1093/poq/nfw002
  • Dhanani, L. Y., & Franz, B. (2020). Unexpected public health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic: a national survey examining anti-Asian attitudes in the USA. International Journal of Public Health, 65(6), 747–754. https://doi.org/10.1007/S00038-020-01440-0/TABLES/2 Feldman, L., Maibach, E. W., Roser-Renouf, C., & Leiserowitz, A. (2012). Climate on Cable: The Nature and Impact of Global Warming Coverage on Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC, 17(1), 3–31. https://doi.org/10.1177/1940161211425410 Fujioka, Y. (2011). Perceived Threats and Latino Immigrant Attitudes: How White and African American College Students Respond to News Coverage of Latino Immigrants, 22(1), 43–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/10646175.2011.546743 Garrett, R. K. (2009). Echo chambers online? Politically motivated selective exposure among Internet news users. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 14(2), 265-285. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1083-6101.2009.01440.x
  • Gil de Zúñiga, H., Correa, T., & Valenzuela, S. (2012). Selective Exposure to Cable News and Immigration in the U.S.: The Relationship Between FOX News, CNN, and Attitudes Toward Mexican Immigrants, 56(4), 597–615. https://doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2012.732138
  • Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. Anchor Books.
  • Heather, M., & Emily, S. (2019). Media framing and minority groups. Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies, 45(1), 13-30. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369183X.2019.1574221
  • Holtzman, N. S., Schott, J. P., Jones, M. N., Balota, D. A., & Yarkoni, T. (2011). Exploring media bias with semantic analysis tools: Validation of the Contrast Analysis of Semantic Similarity (CASS). Behavior Research Methods, 43(1), 193–200. https://doi.org/10.3758/S13428-010-0026-Z/FIGURES/1
  • Ifantidou, E. (2009). Newspaper headlines and relevance: Ad hoc concepts in ad hoc contexts. Journal of Pragmatics, 41(4), 699–720. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.PRAGMA.2008.10.016 Iyengar, S., & Hahn, K. S. (2009). Red media, blue media: Evidence of ideological selectivity in media use. Journal of Communication, 59(1), 19-39.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2008.01402.x
  • Kingdon, J. W. (1984). Agendas, alternatives, and public policies. Little, Brown. Lajevardi, N. (2019). The Media Matters: Muslim American Portrayals and the Effects on Mass Attitudes, 83(3), 1060–1079. https://doi.org/10.1086/711300 Marcus, G. E. (2000). Emotions in politics. In D. P. Green & J. S. Shapiro (Eds.), The Oxford handbook of political psychology (pp. 1-30). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.3.1.221
  • Mastro, D., & Stamps, K. (2018). The impact of media on minority populations. Communication Research, 45(4), 546-570. https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110481129-018 Mutz, D. (2016). In-Your-Face Politics: The Consequences of Uncivil Media. Princeton: Princeton University Press. https://doi.org/10.1515/9781400865871
  • Pew Research Center. (2023). Cable News Fact Sheet. https://www.pewresearch.org/journalism/fact-sheet/cable-news/
  • Sui, M., Paul, N., Shah, P., Spurlock, B., Chastant, B., & Dunaway, J. (2018). The role of minority journalists, candidates, and audiences in shaping race-related campaign news coverage. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly, 95(4), 1079-1102. https://doi.org/10.1177/1077699018762078
  • Nisar, H., Bleich, E. Group status, geographic location, and the tone of media coverage: Jews and Muslims in New York Times and Guardian Headlines, 1985–2014. CMS 8, 3 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40878-019-0153-3 Prior, M. (2013). Media and political polarization. Annual Review of Political Science, 16, 101-127. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-polisci-100711-135242
  • Reny, T., & Manzano, S. (2016). The negative effects of mass media stereotypes of Latinos and immigrants. Media and minorities, 4, 195-212.
  • Shim, K. (2016). Subjectivity in media source perception: Fox news versus NPR. Journal of Applied Journalism & Media Studies, 5(2), 177–197. https://doi.org/10.1386/AJMS.5.2.177_1
  • Stroud, N. J. (2010). Polarization and partisan selective exposure. Journal of Communication, 60(3), 557-576.https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2010.01497.x
  • Tuan, M. (1999, March 1). Forever Foreigners or Honorary Whites? . Rutgers University Press. https://www.rutgersuniversitypress.org/forever-foreigners-or-honorary-whites/9780813526249
  • Tukachinsky, R., Mastro, D., & Yarchi, M. (2017). The impact of media on perceptions of minority groups. Journal of Communication, 67(4), 546-570. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08838151.2017.1344669
  • Valentino, N. A., Hutchings, V. L., & Williams, D. (2004). The Impact of Political Advertising on Knowledge, Internet Information Seeking, and Candidate Preference. Journal of Communication, 54(2), 337–354. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1460-2466.2004.tb02632.x
There are 22 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Political Communication, American Studies
Journal Section Research Articles
Authors

Yassine Ismaili 0000-0001-8069-218X

Early Pub Date August 29, 2024
Publication Date August 30, 2024
Submission Date May 30, 2024
Acceptance Date August 5, 2024
Published in Issue Year 2024 Issue: 11

Cite

APA Ismaili, Y. (2024). The Impact of Partisan Media on Minority Groups: Incivility and Polarization in American Political Discourse. Journal of International Relations and Political Science Studies(11), 28-46. https://doi.org/10.69494/jirps.1492964