Can we trust them? A discourse analysis of British newspaper headlines

Abstract

This paper deals with the analysis of newspaper headlines related to the issue of immigration published in the Internet versions of The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph in 2010. The analysis stresses how and to what extent naming is used to refer to various types of immigrants. Since the newspaper is a mass medium and as such has the power to comment on reality, the tool of naming might be used to serve multiple purposes. Firstly, naming enables the newspaper to label various groups of immigrants and thus to express its point of view on the specific issue. Secondly, the references to immigrants allow the newspaper to influence public opinion and in this respect might contribute to potential power abuse.