Rhetoric of Television Commentary

A Multi-Modal Semiotic Study

Abstract

This article presents a multimodal semiotic study of television commentary through the example of Fawzi Bushra, a prominent Arab media figure widely known for his compelling and impactful commentaries. Owing to their rich rhetorical features and reliance on diverse expressive strategies, his commentaries provide a particularly suitable case for analysis from a multimodal semiotic perspective. The study seeks to answer the following question: What rhetorical strategies, and which linguistic, visual, and performative resources, have enabled Bushra’s commentaries to generate such powerful influence and achieve broad circulation among audiences and readers across digital platforms? Theobjectiveistoidentifytherhetoricalandsemioticresourcesthat underpin the success of Bushra’stelevision commentaries, explaining how they have achieved wide resonance and been recognized for their uniqueness, strength, and influence. Methodologically, the study draws on socialsemiotics, and in particular the multimodal approach, as the interweaving of modes, styles, and techniques in television commentary makesthisframework the most relevant.