Title: The Goat Manuscript - A critical discourse analysis about a special goat
Author: Adam Larsson and David Alin
Supervisor: Ylva Habel
Subject: Media and communication studies
Purpose: The purpose of this study has been to investigate Aftonbladets news reporting regarding the Gävle Christmas goat between 1996, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2016.
Theoretical points of departure: The study is based on theories regarding news evalu-ation.
Objectives and focus: The study has the following questions:In what ways may Lotten Gustafsson Reinius concept "tradition manuscript" have relevance to Aftonbladets news reporting on the Gävle Christmas goat?Has Aftonbladets journalism about the Gävle goat changed in a discoursively way?Is it possible to identify specific discursive patterns in the texts?
Method: In order to answer the survey's questions, critical discourse analyzes according to Theu Van Dijk´s method have been conducted. The analyzes have mapped the news texts micro disciplinary- and macro-courses.
Material: The study material consists of 14 articles from Aftonbladet published in pa-per form and digital edition from 1996, 2001, 2005, 2009 and 2016.
Result: Aftonbladets reporting regarding the Gävle Christmas goat has changed over the last 20 years, where journalists uses a more neutral position in the news reporting. The research proves that more people who represent different organizations gets to speak about the accidents. The way journalists refer to the goat has changed and the way me-dia refer to the perpetrator has changed.
Keywords: Gävle Christmas goat, yule goat, straw goat, discourse, discourse analysis, journalism, “traditional manuscript”, news evalutation, Aftonbladet