How Does The American Press Cover Issues Related To Ukraine War
A closer look at a ‘New York Times’ article
For our most recent assignment in the crisis management lab, we were asked to investigate and analyze one article from the British, French, Spanish, Italian, Russian, German, American, Bulgarian, Polish, or Dutch press, addressing the events of the Ukrainian war.
Our team’s investigation focused on the American press, and we picked an article from the New York Times. Selecting the 14/5 print issue, we focused on the article “West Increases Pressure on Putin, Including Sanctions on Reputed Girlfriend.”, not only for its catchy title but also for the obvious relevance in terms of its subject.
Upon reading the article, we had to acknowledge: on what page it was published, if the title and the content of the article were in agreement, if the text was signed by the author or not, if it contained or revealed any personal views of the author, any emotionally charged adjectives, and if the article itself prioritized the subject of the Ukrainian war.
The already mentioned article appears on the front page of The New York Times (print version), on May 14. The article’s headline (“West Increases Pressure on Putin, Including Sanctions on Reputed Girlfriend”) suggests it’s about a scandal. Considering the post’s content, however, it seems that this title was chosen more to entice readers than to define it, given that the issue addressed is already covered in the first few paragraphs.
The authors’ names appear at the opening and end of the article (along with other information), and two of the three authors even provide links to their social media accounts on the online version of the newspaper.
On closer look, the post appears to avoid using emotionally charged phrases to convey facts and influence the public opinion in any way, or to expose the authors’ own opinion. On the contrary, the mentioned individuals’ words and opinions are frequently quoted, preserving objectivity as far as necessary.
Despite the authors’ ambiguous viewpoint, the majority of the incidents detailed are established as natural repercussions that Putin has to face because of his political decisions, as well as Russia’s recent offenses amid Ukraine’s situation.
All in all, the article largely recounts the evolution of the West’s current position against Russia, which is the article’s major theme, while also implicitly demonstrating the writers’ perspective. The fact that it is published on the front page, makes it clear that the article is concerning a real-time event and is addressing essential information of worldwide relevance, without the use of emotionally charged writing.
Although the conflict in Ukraine is closely related to the article, it is not the main topic, but rather a contextual mention during the presentation of the two fronts’ conflict (the West vs Russia).
By team Aligned: Agelos Latsi, Elena Alid, Ιωάννα Ταμβάκη
Betty Tsakarestou, Mania Xenou
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