John Benjamins Publishing Company
“I have nothing to do but agree”
Abstract
The present study explores the distinctions, hybridization and ambiguities of the reciprocal positioning of journalists and experts on the news, by examining a corpus of Israeli television news items combining interviews with affiliated journalists and external experts. The analysis reveals a dominant pattern of a largely symmetrical positioning of senior journalists and experts as colleagues. A key positioning device contributing to this symmetry is the recurrent use of meta-discursive follow-ups. These follow-ups exhibit a preference for mutual alignment, support and agreement between journalists and experts, and structure items as single co-authored arguments. The affordances of these patterns for politicians performing as expert interviewees and their possible detrimental implications for the social and democratic roles of the news are discussed.
Abstract
The present study explores the distinctions, hybridization and ambiguities of the reciprocal positioning of journalists and experts on the news, by examining a corpus of Israeli television news items combining interviews with affiliated journalists and external experts. The analysis reveals a dominant pattern of a largely symmetrical positioning of senior journalists and experts as colleagues. A key positioning device contributing to this symmetry is the recurrent use of meta-discursive follow-ups. These follow-ups exhibit a preference for mutual alignment, support and agreement between journalists and experts, and structure items as single co-authored arguments. The affordances of these patterns for politicians performing as expert interviewees and their possible detrimental implications for the social and democratic roles of the news are discussed.
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Following up across contexts and discourse domains: Introduction ix
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Follow-ups in the new media
- Follow-ups in broadcast political discourse 3
- Intertextual references in Austrian parliamentary debates 25
- “I have nothing to do but agree” 57
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Follow-ups across speech events
- Bravo for this editorial! 83
- Metacommunicative follow-ups in British, German and Russian political webchats 109
-
Follow-ups across speech events
- Framing the Queen’s head scarf 139
- Follow-ups in political talk shows and their visual framing 169
- Follow-ups in interpreter-mediated interviews and press conferences 205
- Follow-ups in pre-structured communication 231
- Index 263
Chapters in this book
- Prelim pages i
- Table of contents vii
- Following up across contexts and discourse domains: Introduction ix
-
Follow-ups in the new media
- Follow-ups in broadcast political discourse 3
- Intertextual references in Austrian parliamentary debates 25
- “I have nothing to do but agree” 57
-
Follow-ups across speech events
- Bravo for this editorial! 83
- Metacommunicative follow-ups in British, German and Russian political webchats 109
-
Follow-ups across speech events
- Framing the Queen’s head scarf 139
- Follow-ups in political talk shows and their visual framing 169
- Follow-ups in interpreter-mediated interviews and press conferences 205
- Follow-ups in pre-structured communication 231
- Index 263
