Content analysis alone cannot explain how media discourse reproduces racism

Evidence

Much earlier work is content-analytical, that is, quantitative research into observable features of text or talk, such as how often members of a specific ethnic group are portrayed in the news or advertising and in what roles. These studies offer some general insight, but do not tell us in detail how exactly the media portray minorities or ethnic relations. Sophisticated discourse analysis is able to provide such a study, and also is able actually to explain why media discourses have the structures they have, and how these affect the minds of the recipients. It is only in such a way that we get insight into the fundamental role of the media in the reproduction of racism. — David Theo Goldberg, John Solomos, A Companion to Racial and Ethnic Studies, 1088