News Science Quarterly (NS)

News Science Quarterly (NS)

The Representation of India as an Emerging Power on the Telegram Channels of Al-Alam and BBC

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maryam Mehdigholizadeh 1
Marzieh Davari Langroodi 2
1 Master of Journalism, Department of Journalism, Faculty of Communication Sciences, Allameh Tabatabae’i University, Tehran. Email: Maryamgholizadeh2880@gmail.com
2 Corresponding author, Assistant Professor, Department of Journalism & Media Management, Allameh Tabatabae’i University, Tehran, Iarn.Email: m.davari@atu.ac.ir
10.22034/lrsi.2026.510283.1338
Abstract
Objective: Objective: This study investigates the representation of India’s emergence as a global power in two influential Telegram-based news outlets, BBC Persian and Al-Alam. It seeks to identify the dominant semantic domains, discursive strategies, and underlying power relations embedded in the production and recontextualization of news pertaining to India. By examining how India is discursively constructed as an emerging power, the research aims to compare the representational patterns across the two media platforms and to elucidate how media logics shape perceptions of India’s regional and global role, particularly in relation to Iran and the broader international order.
Method: This study adopts a quantitative research design grounded in systematic content analysis. News items concerning India, published on the Telegram channels of BBC Persian and Al-Alam between 21 March 2024 and 19 March 2026, were comprehensively collected and analyzed. A coding scheme was developed in accordance with the research objectives, encompassing categories such as type of relations, news genre, linguistic style, domestic and foreign policy issues, coverage of sanctions, relations with great powers, economic and commercial topics, cultural and artistic content, and societal and security-related matters. A total of 119 relevant content units were identified, coded, and entered into statistical software. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and appropriate inferential tests to compare distributions and identify statistically significant differences between the two channels.
Results: The findings reveal that internal relations and journalistic discourse constitute the predominant patterns in the representation of India across both Telegram channels. Nevertheless, the distribution and emphasis of thematic categories differ significantly. Al-Alam allocates a greater proportion of its coverage to concrete economic issues, security concerns, and social affairs, portraying India as a multidimensional emerging power characterized by economic potential and strategic capabilities. This representation underscores India’s internal dynamics and its positioning as a potential partner within a broader non-Western and multipolar framework. In contrast, BBC Persian places greater emphasis on general economic issues, inflation, and structural challenges, presenting India as an emerging power grappling with persistent economic and political difficulties. Statistical comparisons further reveal distinct patterns in the coverage of relations with great powers, foreign policy orientations, and references to Iran and the surrounding region, reflecting divergent editorial policies and narrative strategies.
Conclusion: In sum, the representation of India’s emergence as a global power in BBC Persian and Al-Alam is shaped by differing logics of representation, agenda-setting, framing, and gatekeeping. Al-Alam’s emphasis on internal relations, tangible economic and security dimensions, and regional cooperation situates India within a multipolar international order aligned with non-Western powers. Conversely, BBC Persian’s focus on economic and political challenges, coupled with its more formal and critical register, frames India’s rise in a more problem-oriented manner. These findings demonstrate that media representations of emerging powers are not neutral reflections of reality but are actively constructed through professional routines and ideological orientations, ultimately shaping audience perceptions of India’s status and its relationship with Iran and the global system.
Keywords
Al-Alam
BBC
Telegram
India
Representation
 
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