LINGUISTIC AND PRAGMATIC PRACTICES IN MEDIA DISCOURSE

Abstract

This article explores the linguistic and pragmatic practices that characterize contemporary media discourse, focusing on television, radio, and digital news platforms. Within the domain of media studies, language use is not merely a neutral medium for the transmission of information. Rather, it is a complex, context-dependent resource for constructing meanings, shaping social relations, and influencing public opinion. Drawing on existing research in discourse analysis, pragmatics, and sociolinguistics, this article reviews the central features of media language – from journalists’ lexical and syntactic choices to the use of politeness, humor, and strategic ambiguity – as tools for managing power, credibility, and audience engagement. By examining recent scholarly contributions and authentic examples, the analysis highlights how media professionals routinely negotiate institutional constraints and audience expectations through pragmatic strategies that serve both informational and ideological functions. Ultimately, this article underscores the need for continued empirical inquiry into the evolving landscape of media discourse and its implications for democratic deliberation, cultural representation, and public trust in news institutions