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MANIPULATION THROUGH SENSATIONALISM IN MODERN ONLINE TABLOID TEXT
Abstract
The article deals with some key characteristics of online tabloid text. The nature of realization and functioning of texts in tabloid media is largely based on a number of structural and semantic features primarily aimed at capturing audiences’ attention. This is often achieved via sensationalism, a category which is realized in text through several techniques used by author(s) in a way that could be referred to as manipulative, i.e. used deliberately to evoke certain emotions from the readers for a certain effect. The article focuses on the analysis of a text from “The Sun”, one of the most popular British periodicals, main features of which fit well into both formal and functional characteristic of a tabloid periodical. The analysis of the selected text is conducted on two levels. Firstly, its structure, and particularly its headline is described in terms of traditional “inverted pyramid” scheme, as well as from the viewpoint of its contribution to the whole piece’s informative value and its character. Here special focus is given to online format of modern periodicals and the possibilities this format presents in manipulating readers’ attention through building sensation on structure level of a text. Secondly, semantic analysis of its main elements (headline, lead, main part, conclusion) is conducted with special focus on key words and phrases. The analysis shows that sensationalism techniques permeate all of its textual levels, and some of these techniques could be viewed as text and genre-forming.
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