Resumen de Television and the mediatization of knowledge: Discursive strategies in new TV formats
Anna Cros i Alavedra, María Margarida Bassols i Puig, Gemma Brunat, Carla González Collantes
Mediatized science, which makes world phenomena understandable, differs from traditional knowledge communication in its use of particular discourse strategies. Knowledge mediatized through television programmes has resulted in new formats, based on polyphony, expressions producing modalities and an interplay between knowledge and experience. We analyse Televisió de Catalunya’s science programme Quèquicom/Whatwhohow, first, by studying the discursive strategies of legitimacy, credibility and engagement employed by the mediators, experts and affected individuals and, second, by studying the discourse indicators revealed by these strategies. Legitimacy strategies give authority to the voice through use of stereotyped social identities. Credibility strategies project announcers as people capable of evoking others’ voices through their ability with words and in phrasing opinions and behaviour carefully. Finally, engagement strategies are aimed at gaining the intellectual or emotional attention of the audience and provoking a reaction. We also describe a quantitative study of discursive strategies and indicators and make a comparative analysis of different voices.
