What’s in the News? A Critical Discourse Analysis of Czech-Language News Stories About Covid-19 Mis- and Disinformation

Abstract: The 2020 Covid-19 pandemic was accompanied by wide-ranging mis- and disinformation appearing largely on online platforms like social networking sites. The World Health Organization and the European Union urged citizens to be critical of sources and evaluate the information they were receiving about the pandemic. Since the promotion of information literacy relies upon the concept of source evaluation, understanding the discursive techniques used within trusted sources is of crucial importance. The aim of this thesis is to provide insight that can be used within information literacy efforts and research—specifically in the Central and Eastern European context. This is accomplished by through the examination of the representation of Covid-19 mis- and disinformation in news discourse in the Czech Republic. I used Norman Fairclough’s Critical Discourse Analysis and the theoretical lens of Sociotechnical Practice to investigate the coverage of mis- and disinformation about Covid-19 in four of the most widely consumed and trusted online news platforms in the Czech Republic. Using a framework for analysis I designed to investigate discursive practice surrounding Covid-19 mis- and disinformation, I collected and analyzed 36 Czech news articles published between January and April 2020. As a result of this analysis, I identified four patterns of discursive practice. I categorize and describe these patterns as the discourses of war, information as disease, clickbait and information literacy. I also describe how each of these discourses seeks to interact with and uphold structures of trust and authority in a manner particular to their context—and I reflect on their potential consequences for the promotion of information literacy. The results of this analysis provide insights that illuminate the potential for trusted sources to act as an intermediary for information literacy promotion, as well as its potential to muddy the waters of source evaluation. Further, this project highlights the need for further research into trust, authority, and information consumption—and the interplay between information literacy and the information sources that are considered reliable.