Examining Reactions to the Standard Language Segment of the “20:30 News Program” on Social Media among Iranian Actors

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 B.A. in Journalism, Department of Journalism, Faculty of Communication and Media, IRIB University (Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting University), Tehran, Iran.

2 PhD student in Culture and Media, Faculty of Communication and Media, IRIB University, Tehran, Iran

10.22082/cr.2026.2086588.2910
Abstract
Language policymaking has always attracted the attention of governments worldwide, and public acceptance of these policies remains a fundamental challenge. Adopting a qualitative and descriptive approach within an interpretive paradigm, this study seeks to describe and analyze the reactions of the Persian-speaking community on social media (particularly the X platform) regarding the “Standard Language” news segment and the agency of its reporter Utilizing Actor-Network Theory (ANT) and thematic analysis, the research examined users’ digital footprints. From a large volume of extracted data, a purposive sample of 400 cases was selected and analyzed using Cochran’s formula. The findings indicate the emergence of seven key themes. On one hand, the reporter is symbolized as a guardian of the Persian language, with his linguistic activism being highly praised. However, a significant portion of reactions is devoted to meme-making and satirizing his persona, which paradoxically facilitated the viral spread of the message. Furthermore, major intellectual confrontations were observed, including exposing the national media’s double standards in commercials, contradictions regarding Arabic versus English vocabulary, and critiques of extreme linguistic nationalism. Conversely, instances of behavioral modeling and social self-monitoring among users were also evident. This study concludes that while the media intervention successfully revived linguistic sensitivity and fostered endogenous norm-making in the virtual space, digital actors have actively reinterpreted it. By employing tools such as humor and structural criticism, users translated a top-down, official language policy into an interactive instrument for expressing broader cultural, political, and institutional concerns.

Keywords

Subjects


Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 15 July 2026

  • Receive Date 25 February 2026
  • Revise Date 19 May 2026
  • Accept Date 20 May 2026