A content and textual analysis of ABC's 'World News Tonight' and PBS' 'MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour' coverage of the Clinton health care plan.

摘要

Hegemony, the dominance of a world view held by elites, is perpetuated by specific media practices. This paper inquires as to how "World News Tonight" and "MacNeil/Lehrer Newshour" compare, in terms of news source selection, graphic forms and sound bites, issue coverage, and rhetoric. The study concludes that both programs' coverage of the Clinton health care plan exhibits hegemonic tendencies. The former shifts attention away from issues with a narrow source list, complex graphics, short sound bites, and frequent use of hyperbole and metaphors. The latter, though superior in its issue coverage, has as narrow a source list as does its commercial counterpart.