Media Discourse in Society: A Critical Analysis of a Pakistani Game Show

Abstract

This paper analyzes the semiotic and discursive practices of a Pakistani game show through CDA approach focusing on communicative interactions to identify sources of power and mediation of discourse within society. CDA aims to systematically explore often opaque relationships of causality and determination between (a) discursive practices, events and texts, and (b) wider social and cultural structures, relations and processes, Fairclough (1993). In Pakistan, Family Game Show is a recently emerged prime time television genre that attracts a huge and diverse viewership. The selected show follows the popular model; where the host is the central figure with a dominating demeanor. The audience is generally very vibrant and mostly represents a particular class of society. The analytical foci of the research include text i.e. the interaction and the context including discourse and socio-cultural practices, specifically the mediation of social capital in media discourse. This study also examined micro structures including lexical aspects, salience of words and phrases as used by the host and the participants.