Bais or Balance? Multimodal discourse Analysis of British media representation of Russain – Ukraine war

This study investigates how the British media covers the Russia-Ukraine conflict, utilizing a Multimodal Critical Discourse Analysis (MCDA) framework. Considering both verbal and visual components in news reportage, it intends to identify whether the reporting is balanced or biased. Built on the work of Wodak (2006), Kress and van Leeuwen (2006), Machin (2013) and Wong (2019), the paper surveys how text, graphics, and design are utilized to form narratives. A combination of qualitative and quantitative analysis of media coverage selection has been conducted to uncover the complication of these multimodal components. The results expose accomplished ideological thoughts and power dynamics that influence the narratives being told, utilizing visuals and verbal elements to strengthen particular viewpoints. While British media generally target is impartiality, biases are still embedded due to the difficult socio-political context of the conflict, emphasizing the significance of photo and self-reflection in conflict reportage.