The role of media television to emerge patriotism during conflict: evidence from Palestine TV

Abstract

Drawing upon observations regarding the crisis in Palestine, media is sometimes the only source of information consumed by society. This raises the critical question of how the Palestinian state media generates awareness of societal issues, such as the patriotism of citizens as a sense of devotion to one’s country. This study examines whether the state media TV in Palestine contributes to existing patriotism because such a contribution should be explored separately. For this purpose, we first analyse the strategies employed by Palestine TV in delivering news during the period 2020–2021. Second, we examine whether the information framed in the state media effectively promotes Palestinian patriotism to the target audience. To discuss this issue, we use agenda-setting theories through the first level, wherein we describe the power of media to persuade viewers, influence public opinion and construct a hierarchy of being patriotic. The results revealed that the news portrayed on Palestine TV enhanced Palestinian patriotism. This finding implies that media can augment citizens’ views on patriotism. This study provides insights into future investigations on the role of media in the time of crisis particularly related to the Israeli occupation in Palestine and the impacts of its occupation on Palestinians.