1.2　The Rhetoric of News Discourse

Rhetoric is the study and practice of using language and other symbols effectively to influence others and realize human goals. “Persuasion has long been an important goal of the art of rhetoric” （Herrick，2001:7）. Given that language is never neutral or value-free，individuals are inevitably engaging in rhetoric，whether consciously or unconsciously，seeking persuasion in their routine interactions. News，as a form of language practice，is closely intertwined with rhetoric. Positioned within a specific context，news becomes loaded with societal values and ideologies. As Conboy （2010）contends，news is not simply a neutral transmission of information，but rather a product of social construction designed to convey specific ideas and beliefs for persuasive purposes. Thus，news is persuasive in nature.

New discourse is rhetorical. According to Herrick （2001:7），rhetorical discourse is characterized as being “1）planned，2）adapted to an audience，3）shaped by human motives，4）responsive to a situation and 5）persuasion-seeking.” News discourse is regarded as rhetorical discourse in the following aspects:

First，news discourse is a social construction，as claimed by numerous researchers （Bednarek and Caple，2012；Fowler，1991；van Dijk，1987；Conboy，2010）. This suggests that news should be tailored to aligning with the particular social contexts and shared values of a given society. Additionally，journalists themselves are not immune to the influence of societal ideologies. Their knowledge，judgments，attitudes，and values are shaped by these ideologies and therefore impact how they frame and present news stories. When their commitment to impartiality in reporting “truth” is asserted，it is important to recognize that language is never completely objective or value-free. From a rhetorical standpoint，truth arises from dialogic negotiation between the rhetor （in this case，the journalist）and the audience. As Bakhtin （1973:9）highlights，truth is a conversation rather than a proposition，a contest rather than an outcome. Similarly，the audience's interpretation of the news is highly shaped by the ideologies prevalent within their own society.

Second，the news materials are carefully selected and organized within a social context，as Hall （1980:53）claims，“news is the end-product of a complex process which begins with a systematic sorting of events and topics according to a socially constructed set of categories.” This means that news reports can often prioritize certain viewpoints while excluding others，resulting in an incomplete representation of the facts at hand.

Third，news discourse is a response to a present situation or a specific context. When journalists determine what is newsworthy，they should choose materials or topics relevant to the current situation. This selection process aims to inform the audience by providing them with an understanding of what is happening in their immediate environment.

Fourth，news discourse is constructed to inform the audience of the events from a certain angle，to transmit the values it embodies，and to shape the audience's viewpoints and interpretations of these events. As stated by Wu （2005:7），news discourse employs rhetorical devices to transmit both information and underlying values，ultimately exerting persuasive effects on its audience. In this sense，news discourse is rhetorically persuasive.

Fifth，news discourse is audience-centered，as noted by Conboy （2010:1）who emphasized that the language of newspapers has always encapsulated what would sell to the audiences and always attempts to fit into the taste of their readership. The meaning and values of news discourse are reproduced through the two-way communication between the news discourse and the audience. The success of a news discourse can be measured by whether or not it achieves its intended goals，which are determined by how well the audience accepts or identifies with the message conveyed. In this regard，persuasive power is crucial for attracting and engaging audiences while conveying desired values and meanings.