How American Talk Shows Portrait Saudi Arabia?

ABSTRACT

This study examines how Saudi Arabia is represented and depicted in the American talk shows. It qualitatively analyses 13 episodes of (The Daily Show with Trevor Noah) that discussed issues relating to Saudi Arabia from 2015–2019. The study adopted the content analysis in order to answer the research questions. The results revealed 10 themes represented what had been discussed in the talk show regarding Saudi Arabia. These themes have been framed in a negative way and included highlighting the wealth and well-being, barbarism in penalties, strangeness in lifestyle, delay in positive changes and modernization, in addition to prejudicing the Saudi figures. Along with minimizing the reality of the common interests with the United States, promoting the stereotype of Saudi Arabia in mainstream media, exaggerating Saudi control over the world, doubting the reality of fighting corruption and finally mentioning positive decisions. The findings indicated that the representation of Saudi Arabia in the program was cynical and biased, using the negative frames in relation to most of the Saudi issues and decisions. These negative frames also have been used in the positive changes and achievements which were considered as challenges‎‎‎.

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