International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

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Visual Satire as Social Agenda: A Semiotic Study of Political Cartoons in Telangana Today

Author(s) Mr. KEMSARAM SAIKRISHNA
Country India
Abstract Political cartoons have long served as powerful tools in media discourse, offering visual satire that captures the socio-political pulse of a region. This study explores how political cartoons published in Telangana Today, an English-language daily from the Indian state of Telangana, function as a vehicle for setting social agenda. Using a qualitative research design, the study employs content analysis and semiotic analysis to examine 100 purposively selected political cartoons published over a defined period. The cartoons were manually coded using a structured codesheet, identifying recurring themes and underlying social commentaries.
Drawing on agenda-setting theory (McCombs & Shaw, 1972), the research investigates how visual satire in editorial cartoons reflects and shapes public discourse by highlighting issues of public concern. Through detailed thematic categorization, the study identifies six dominant themes-governance, corruption, economy, public welfare, infrastructure, and political identity. These themes are interpreted using both denotative and connotative elements to understand the symbolic representations within the cartoons. The findings reveal that the cartoons predominantly focus on substantive issues affecting the citizens of Telangana, thereby contributing to public awareness and potentially influencing public opinion.
The analysis demonstrates that Telangana Today uses political cartoons not merely for comic relief but as strategic media artifacts that reinforce critical narratives about political leadership, policy failures, and public grievances. By amplifying specific concerns repeatedly, the cartoons act as agenda-setting tools within the regional media landscape. This study not only contributes to the growing body of research on political cartoons in India but also provides insight into how regional English-language newspapers participate in shaping socio-political consciousness through visual media.
Keywords Political cartoons, Social agenda, Telangana Today, Media discourse, Agenda-setting theory
Field Sociology > Journalism / Media
Published In Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2025
Published On 2025-07-25
DOI https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i04.51994
Short DOI https://doi.org/g9vpxc
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