Translation Implications in Multilingual Newsrooms: A Mixed-method Study of Bilingual News Items at ABP and BBC
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Date
2024
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Publisher
UB, FLSH
Abstract
In today's interconnected world, media content has evolved to embrace multilingualism, linking diverse cultures, languages, and ways of life. This thesis explores the critical role of translation in the modern media landscape where language serves as both a tool and potential barrier to global discourse. By examining the practices of two media organizations—the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and the Agence Burundaise de Presse (ABP)—this study
investigates the processes and strategies employed in translating news content for multilingual audiences. Focusing on the translation approach where content is initially produced in one language and then translated into others, this research analyzes six translated texts alongside their originals from both the BBC and ABP. The objective is to understand how translation processes impact the quality and effectiveness of news delivery across different linguistic
contexts. The researcher used a mixed methodology – qualitative and quantitative – by analyzing a corpus from selected translated texts from the two media outlets and data collected through a questionnaire sent out to the media’s multilingual journalists and editors. The findings revealed that translation can effectively facilitate broader media content consumption across languages. However, strict newsroom processes, customized training of multilingual journalists, and adequate tools were found to have a big share in the success or failure of translation in multilingual newsrooms. The findings in this study are hoped to provide professionals and researchers with an increased understanding of the multilingual media world as they highlight the complexities and implications of news translation. The findings further contribute to the broader field of media translation by shedding light on proven effective practices that help maintain integrity, accuracy, and clarity of content irrespective of the audience’s language.
Description
A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Master’s Degree in Translation and Interpretation