DISCOURSE ANALYSIS OF THE MEDIA COVERAGE OF THE P. DIDDY SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE IN THE GUARDIAN

Abstract

This study aims to examine how The Guardian presents news coverage of sexual harassment cases involving Sean “P. Diddy” Combs. The research adopts a qualitative approach with a primary focus on discourse analysis to explore how media texts construct social meanings. Through this approach, the study is grounded in the assumption that the media do not merely transmit factual information, but actively shape public understanding through the selection of narratives, perspectives, and linguistic choices. Media discourse therefore plays a crucial role in defining how actors, events, and power relations are interpreted by the public. The analysis seeks to address three main aspects. First, it investigates how the alleged perpetrator is portrayed in the news coverage, particularly in relation to status, power, and legal positioning. Second, it examines how the victim is represented, including the extent to which victims’ voices are foregrounded or marginalized within the narrative. Third, the study identifies the dominant narratives that emerge across the coverage and considers how these narratives contribute to broader social understandings of sexual harassment. Based on the findings, the analysis reveals that The Guardian places greater narrative emphasis on the alleged perpetrator than on the victim. The perpetrator is frequently framed through references to professional status, public reputation, and legal processes, while the victim tends to occupy a secondary position in the overall narrative structure. When victims are represented, their experiences are often framed in emotional and dramatic terms, emphasizing suffering and trauma rather than agency or structural power imbalance.