A Structuralist Analysis of Binary Oppositions in News Media Headlines: Constructing Meaning Through Contrast

Abstract

This study examines how binary oppositions are used in news headlines to shape meaning and influence readers’ understanding. Binary opposition as one of the concepts of structuralism defines that language builds meaning using differences, and not individual words. The primary goals of the research were to find out the prevalent binary oppositions in news headlines, examine how it makes the meaning and discuss the ideological messages conveyed by these oppositions. The analysis conducted a qualitative structuralist on 80 headlines that were gathered in BBC, CNN, Al Jazeera, and Dawn. The results indicate that the headlines often are based on oppositional pairs including unity/division, progress/decline, victims/authorities, and hope/fear. Such oppositions make the intricate issues of politics, social and economic life simple and determine the interpretations of the readers. In the analysis it can also be seen that these oppositions have deeper ideological implications in terms of power, justice as well as public accountability. This paper elicits the necessity of studying binary structures in the language of media since it is relevant to the formation of a social perception and supports cultural and political discourse.