"I take it with a pinch of salt'': Discursive responses to news representations of asylum seekers among Western Australian media audiences

Despite mounting evidence of Australia's divisive stance on asylum seekers, audience responses to news coverage of the issue are under-investigated. Alongside an Audience Reception framework, Critical Discourse Analysis was applied to semi-structured interviews with 24 Western Australians who discussed news coverage of asylum seekers. While their media engagement varied, the sample voiced numerous concerns about mainstream depictions, including negativity, dehumanisation, bias, sensationalism, and limited transparency - such critiques often served to legitimise participants' own positions on the topic. Overall, findings suggest that audiences feel misinformed by Australian media, highlighting the importance of accurate and compassionate approaches to reporting asylum issues.