Analysis of Media Text

TMA02

The first analysed text is an article published in 2016 in Guardian: “Maria Sharapova provisionally banned from tennis after revealing failed drug tests”, written by Carpenter. (Appendix 1) This will be compared against “Maria Sherapova hits out at the media coverage of failed drug test scandal”, by N.Evans, published in Mirror in the same year. Despite the fact that these texts have some similarities, they also contain significant differences. Throughout the provided comparison. I will be highlighting process types – as can be seen in Appendix 3 and 4. I will further on compare the two text’s processes and separate them into categories, reflected in Table 1, which will lead to establishing the most often used verbal groups. Following step will be to identify the actors and material processes in order to establish the active participants. This is reflected in Table 2, as well as in Appendix 3 and 4. Upon collecting all the data I will then attempt to interpret and analyse the results.

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As mentioned above, in Table 1 the processes identified in each of the categories have been grouped. Both texts use heavily material processes, however, the Mirror text tends to have more verbal and mental processes. The next step in the process has been to identify the actors in both texts and grouping them into categories, as such: Maria Sherapova consisted of “she”, “champion”, “the 28 year old”, “the former number one”, substance, Wada, etc. The next step in the process has been to identify the actors in both texts and grouping them into categories, as such: Maria Sherapova consisted of “she”, “champion”, “the 28 year old”, “the former number one”, substance, Wada, etc. Table 3 is consisted of a comparison between text A and text B and the way goals are portrayed in each of the texts, also portrayed in Appendix 3 and 4.

Material processes, as well as verbal processes are vital in helping writers assume a certain position regarding the subject of any communication. Upon analysing Table 1 we can see that there is a similar amount of material processes, however, in the second article, Maria is attributed a multitude of them: “{..}hits out”, “.. has hit”, “tested”, but in the same time the Mirror article contains more verbal and mental processes, such as “I’m proud”, “I hope”, etc. In the first text, as mentioned before, there are plenty of material processes, this is because these are the main ways of providing an animated portrayal of participants and events. It plays a vital role in realizing the swaying function of the text. Restricting the usability of statements is one of the roles played by nominalization. The texts in both newspapers utilize nominalization to establish existence of prepositions before presenting arguments, which are certainly debatable in themselves. Nominalization usually transforms a debatable process into something, which its existence is more complex to question. For example, in the Text B, people will believe is a good nominalization that is being used. On the other hand, “she believed” is a good example of nominalization used in Text A.

As can be seen in Appendix 1 and 2, both articles are mostly focused on Maria Sherapova’s failed drug tests. Through the relational process attributed to the tennis player, “few athletes are like Sherapova”, the author is helping readers to view participants in certain ways, in this case, as special athlete, that would admit her mistake in order “to take control of the story” (Appendix 1).

The pronoun “she” is the most prevalent participants in the text by Carpenter (2016). On the other hand, the I pronoun is the most common participants in the text by Evans (2016). The pronouns are commonly employed as an actor in the material processes.

Modality refers to the expression of probability. It is the grammar’s way of articulating the writer’s verdict, without making first person explicit. In the first text, modality is utilized to express his position regarding WADA decision about their chances of banning the drug. The writer says that the previous year WADA was studying the drug, and the athletes needed to take warning that the drug could be burned soon. On the other hand, on the Evans text, he writes that Sharapova that after ITF hearing, she will be allowed to play again. The “will” in this text represents the probability of her being allowed to participate in tennis game again.

In both articles the themes has no personal element, which makes the texts extremely impersonalised. The main identified information providers are declaratives: “Maria Sharapova has been provisionally banned from tennis” (appendix 1), however the Carpenter article is at times empathetic towards Maria Sharapova, by comparing her with other “Most sports stars try to hide positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs, hoping news will not break until a suspension is revealed” (Appendix 1). The tone of the second article appears to be instigating adverse opinions: “Tennis ace Maria Sharapova has hit out at some media accounts of her doping scandal in a furious open letter”. (Appendix 1)

|| Maria Sharapova has been provisionally banned from tennis || after she revealed on Monday || she tested positive at the Australian Open for a recently banned drug [[ that she has been taking for 10 years for health reasons. ]] ||

|| Sharapova claimed || she was prescribed meldonium by her doctor in 2006 || to deal with health issues such as an irregular heartbeat and a history of diabetes in her family. || But the substance was added to the banned list in January of this year || because Wada said || there was “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance”. ||

|| Sharapova’s announcement is almost unprecedented for a top athlete. || Most sports stars try to hide positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs, || hoping news will not break || until a suspension is revealed. || But few athletes are like Sharapova || who has made herself into the highest-paid female in sport, << earning more than $20m annually, >> through a series of high-end endorsement deals. || The implication [[ that Sharapova has been cheating ]] can be a devastating blow to those deals. || By revealing the test results herself || she is attempting to take control of the story, || hoping that << by being up front >> || people will believe || she is being honest || and really was taking mildronate for health purposes. ||

|| Meldonium was developed years ago in Latvia || to treat patients with heart conditions [[ brought on by a lack of oxygen in their blood. ]] || It has become popular with athletes || who use the oxygen-enhancers || to improve endurance, || especially when working out. || Last year Wada announced || that it was carefully studying the drug, || allowing athletes || to take it with the warning [[ that it could soon be banned.]] || A few months into that study Wada said || meldonium was being moved to 2016’s banned list. ||

(Carpenter, L. (2016) ‘Maria Sharapova provisionally banned from tennis after revealing failed drugs test’, The Guardian)

APPENDIX 2

|| Maria Sharapova hits out at media coverage of failed drugs test scandal ||

|| Tennis ace Maria Sharapova has hit out at some media accounts of her doping scandal in a furious open letter. ||

|| The five times grand slam champion admitted || she tested positive for the banned drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January. ||

|| The 28-year-old is facing a suspension of up to four years by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) || and has already lost numerous sponsorships in the aftermath. ||

|| In a post on her Facebook account, the former world number one thanked her fans for their “tremendous outpouring of support” || before launching into a critique of [[ what [[ she believed ]] were some inaccurate reports. ]] ]] ||

|| “A report said || that I had been warned five times about the upcoming ban on the medicine [[ I was taking. ]] || That is not true || and it never happened,” || Sharapova wrote. ||

|| Russian Sharapova said || she was making no excuses || for not knowing about the ban [[ that went into effect on January 1, ]] || but said || that after the first announcement, other notices were “buried in newsletters, websites, or handouts.”|| “Again, no excuses, || but it’s wrong || to say || I was warned five times,” || said Sharapova, || who has said || she took the drug for 10 years due to a family history of heart issues and diabetes. ||

|| The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added meldonium to their banned substance list || after concluding [[ that it improves blood flow and || boosts exercise capacity. ]] ||

|| “I’m proud of [[ how I have played the game.]] || I have been honest and upfront,” || Sharapova said. || “I look forward to the ITF hearing || at which time they will receive my detailed medical records. || I hope || I will be allowed to play again.” ||

(Evans, N. (2016) ‘Maria Sharapova hits out at media coverage of failed drugs test scandal’, The Mirror)

APPENDIX 3

• Process – RED
• Actor – GREEN

|| Maria Sharapova provisionally banned from tennis || after revealing failed drugs test ||

|| Maria Sharapova has been provisionally bannedMA from tennis || after she revealed V on Monday || she tested MA positive at the Australian Open for a recently banned drug [[ that she has been taking MA for 10 years for health reasons. ]] ||

|| Sharapova claimedV || she was prescribed MA meldonium by her doctor in 2006 || to deal MA with health issues such as an irregular heartbeat and a history of diabetes in her family. || But the substance was added MA to the banned list in January of this year || because Wada said V || there was R “evidence of its use by athletes with the intention of enhancing performance”. ||

|| Sharapova’s announcement is almost unprecedented R for a top athlete. || Most sports stars try MA to hide MA positive tests for performance-enhancing drugs, || hoping M news will not break R || until a suspension is revealed R . || But few athletes are like R Sharapova || who has made R herself into the highest-paid female in sport, << earning MA more than $20m annually, >> through a series of high-end endorsement deals. || The implication [[ that Sharapova has been cheating MA ]] can be R a devastating blow to those deals. || By revealing V the test results herself || she is attempting R to take control R of the story, || hoping M that << by being up front >> || people will believe M || she is being honest R || and really was taking MA mildronate for health purposes. ||

|| Meldonium was developed MA years ago in Latvia || to treat MA patients with heart conditions [[ brought on by a lack of oxygen in their blood. ]] || It has become R popular with athletes || who use MA the oxygen-enhancers || to improve MA endurance, || especially when working out MA. || Last year Wada announced V || that it was carefully studying MA the drug, || allowing MA athletes || to take it MA with the warning [[ that it could soon be banned R.]] || A few months into that study Wada said V || meldonium was being moved MA to 2016’s banned list. ||

(Carpenter, L. (2016) ‘Maria Sharapova provisionally banned from tennis after revealing failed drugs test’, The Guardian)

APPENDIX 4

• Process – RED
• Actor – GREEN

|| Maria Sharapova hits out at media coverage of failed drugs test scandal ||

|| Tennis ace Maria Sharapova has hit out MA at some media accounts of her doping scandal in a furious open letter. ||

|| The five times grand slam champion admitted V|| she tested MA positive for the banned drug meldonium at the Australian Open in January. ||

|| The 28-year-old is facing MA a suspension of up to four years by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) || and has already lost MA numerous sponsorships in the aftermath. ||

|| In a post on her Facebook account, the former world number one thanked V her fans for their “tremendous outpouring of support” || before launching MA into a critique of [[ what [[ she believed ]] were MA some inaccurate reports. ]] ]] ||

|| “A report said V || that I had been warned R five times about the upcoming ban on the medicine [[ I was taking. ]] || That is not true R || and it never happened MA,” || Sharapova wrote MA. ||

|| Russian Sharapova said V || she was making V no excuses || for not knowing M about the ban [[ that went into effect on January 1, ]] || but said V || that after the first announcement, other notices were MA “buried in newsletters, websites, or handouts.”|| “Again, no excuses, || but it’s wrong R|| to say V || I was warned MA five times,” || said V Sharapova, || who has said V || she took MA the drug for 10 years due to a family history of heart issues and diabetes. ||

|| The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) added MA meldonium to their banned substance list || after concluding MA [[ that it improves blood flow and || boosts MA exercise capacity. ]] ||

|| “I’m proud M of [[ how I have played the game.]] || I have been R honest and upfront,” || Sharapova said V. || “I look forward M to the ITF hearing || at which time they will receive MA my detailed medical records. || I hope R || I will be allowed MA to play MA again.” ||

(Evans, N. (2016) ‘Maria Sharapova hits out at media coverage of failed drugs test scandal’, The Mirror)