Attitude in Disaster Reports in Indonesian Newspaper: An Appraisal Approach

Abstract

The aims of this study are to identify the types of attitude, to describe the realization of attitude and to explain the reasons of the realization of attitude found in disaster reports in Indonesian newspaper particularly The Jakarta Post (TJP). Qualitative approach was used with Critical Discourse Analysis as analytical framework. The theory of Appraisal by Martin and White is used to analyze the data. Clauses that indicated as attitude are the data taken from 14 articles of TJP newspaper particularly disaster events in Indonesia published in 2021 by using documentation. The results show that three types of attitude are found in this study with dominant negative polarity and appreciation as the most dominant type. The realization of attitude shows TJP is found as the dominant appraiser followed by the authorities. The reasons behind the realization are under two themes namely one tone multiple perspective, and self-claimed recognition and neglection of self-failure. Through the use of attitude, it reveals hidden ideology of a newspaper.