Interpretation of Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse in the Construction of Online Media in the Case of Law Enforcement Officers Shooting Students at a State Vocational High School

Abstract

Crime is a social phenomenon whose occurrence cannot be predicted. A recent case showed a vocational high school student being the victim of a shooting by law enforcement officers, thus attracting public attention. This study uses Norman Fairclough's critical discourse analysis as a scalpel to uncover the implicit messages conveyed by online media in reporting the case. Given the media's significant role in shaping public opinion, critical discourse analysis is necessary to uncover the use of language, ideology, and social practices that underlie the reporting. The method used is descriptive qualitative with Fairclough's three-dimensional model, which includes microstructural, mesostructural, and macrostructural analysis. The research data sources were obtained from three online media portals: CNN Indonesia, Suara.com, and Semarang News. The results show a relatively uniform discourse construction, with all three news outlets tending to highlight law enforcement as suspects. However, two of the news outlets provide additional information in their titles to answer public curiosity regarding the chronology of the tragic event.