Attitudes in Iranian vs. Western Media Coverage of the Iranian Nuclear Issue

Employing the appraisal framework in discovering the way ideology is crystalized through discourse, the present study attempts to investigate how journalistic ideologies and political positions are manifested through attitudinal terms. Referring to White’s (2012) distinction of attitude types, inscribed vs. invoked, based on Martin and White’s (2005) appraisal theory, journalistic ideology together with the positivity and negativity they offer with regard to the Iranian nuclear issue was investigated. The study also refers to the selection and omission of certain aspects in this regard by the media. The study reveals an ideological bias towards portraying a negative presentation of Iranian nuclear policy in the western media. Iranian journalists, however, tend to highlight the positive dimension of the Iranian nuclear program.