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The mass media representation of serial killers (on the example of English newspapers ″The Sun″ and ″The Guardian″)

Научные исследования: 

The mass media representation of serial killers (on the example of English newspapers ″The Sun″ and ″The Guardian″)

 

For citation: Katkova L.V. (2016) Obraz seriynogo ubiytsy v SMI (na primere angliyskikh gazet «San» i «Gardian») [The mass media representation of serial killers (on the example of English newspapers ″The Sun″ and ″The Guardian″)]. Mediaskop 2. Available at: http://www.mediascope.ru/?q=node/2120

 

© Lyudmila V. Katkova

PhD student at the Chair of Foreign Journalism and Literature, Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia), liudmilakatkova@gmail.com

 

Abstract

The article aims at the study of the representation of serial killers in English and American mass media by means of critical discourse analysis. As an example, the author uses English newspapers ″The Sun″ and ″The Guardian″. Striving for sensations journalists often create an attractive image of a serial killer, which can affect mental health of the society. The article introduces readers to the most prominent English and American researches about the phenomenon of serial killings. Nevertheless, the author herself is interested in specific methods and linguistic techniques that are intentionally or unintentionally used by newspapers to create an appealing image of a killer. The author points out the following methods and techniques: demonization and glorification of serial killers, defamation of the victims. As an example, the author uses the killings, committed by Levi Bellfield in 2002−2004 and Steve Wright in 2006. As a result, the author finds out that ″The Guardian″ and ″The Sun″ are not radically different from each other in their representation of the serial killers: both newspapers to a greater or lesser extent tend to use the same methods and techniques described by the author.

Keywords: serial killer, crime, critical discourse analysis, ″The Sun″, ″The Guardian″.

 

Notes

Greenslade R. (1999) On the press: New bill shows its clause. The Guardian. Available at: http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/1999/feb/22/columnists.guardiancolumnist...

Sullivan M. (2007) Evil double killer on the prowl. The Sun. Available at: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/851228/Levi-Bellfield-on-the-h...

Sullivan M. (2007) How many vics of evil Levi? The Sun. Available at: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/846156/Levi-Bellfield-How-many...

Sullivan M. (2007) The bisexual blonde-hater. The Sun. Available at: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/845677/The-bisexual-blonde-hat...

Sullivan M. (2008) The Ladykillers: Sick gang name. The Sun. Available at: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/1004330/The-Ladykillers-Sick-g...

Troup J., Hagan L. (2007) Partner Pam: I`ll stick by killer. The Sun. Available at: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/837784/Pam-Im-sticking-by-kill...

 

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