FRAMING THE HORMUZ STRAIT CRISIS: A SOCIO-COGNITIVE APPROACH TO HEADLINE DISCOURSE IN KOMPAS AND TEMPO

Abstract

This study investigates how ideological orientations influence the construction of reality in media headlines during global energy crises. Specifically, it examines the framing of the 2026 Strait of Hormuz crisis in two prominent Indonesian news portals, Kompas.com and Tempo.co. Using Teun A. van Dijk’s three-dimensional Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) framework, comprising textual structure, social cognition, and social analysis. The research analyzes ten pairs of headlines published on 4 – 22 April 2026. The results reveal a significant divergence in discursive strategies: Kompas prioritizes a "Transcendental Humanism" ideology, utilizing a hope-oriented lexicon and interrogative syntax to emphasize global stability, economic recovery, and national resilience. In contrast, Tempo employs an investigative approach characterized by sharp, confrontational language and active voice to highlight political agency, conflict dynamics, and accountability. These findings demonstrate that Kompas constructs mental models of social harmony to mitigate public anxiety, while Tempo positions readers as critical observers of power relations. The study concludes that news headlines are not neutral summaries but strategic "architectures of belief" shaped by institutional traditions. This research contributes to the field by extending CDA into the realm of international energy geopolitics and highlighting the role of media framing in managing public perception of external risks.