RUNNING HEAD: Genre Analysis

Genre Analysis: Ferguson Riots

Alejandra Villarreal
University of Texas at El Paso
RWS 1302, Tuesday 10:30

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Introduction
Ferguson, Missouri a city that went viral and became dangerous over a trail. Is it worth it
to stand up for what you believe in while creating an even bigger issue? Riots began when an
officer who shot African American Mike Brown, was found not guilty. Fire & tear gas: 9 biggest
protests in U.S. history, is a period piece portrayed through HLN written by Jackie Taurianen.
Ferguson riots: Ruling sparks night of violence, is an informative piece portrayed through BBC.
Even though, each article has the same topic both carry a different statement, the period piece
states that the riots that have been going on have been part of American History for a long while,
in the countrys DNA as it states. While the informative piece seems to be proposing that the
case had gone wrong, not only that but also that the riots are unnecessary to a certain point.
Audience and Purpose
The first genre, Fire & tear gas: 9 biggest protests in U.S. history, is a period piece
published through HLN. The intended purpose is to inform readers about the history of our
country creating a sense and portraying that the country has suffered of many different similar
riots. An appropriate audience can be those digging deeper to our history and maybe even
researchers wanting to know how is it that people can come upon creating such disastrous events.
It is believed that history repeats itself, reading this piece can be helpful to view things and the
similarities, even though the events are far apart. The second genre, Ferguson riots: Ruling
sparks night of violence, is an informative article published through BBC on. The intended
audience of course is the readers and followers of the news channel but also those who havent

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kept up but more importantly those who doubt the ruling and reactions of the police during the
riots. The purpose of the article is to contribute to the knowledge of outsiders of the town.
Both genres have clearly a different perspective and reasons they are being published.
The audience for both genres ties in perfectly in some ways for example, the second genre may
be helpful to any history researcher who may be interested in learning about several riots and
how they may be linked to each other, such as similarities being done and reasons as to why each
of them have happened. While the first genre is tied to the audience in ways that they can relate
to the way some people are viewing the riot and the court case more precisely those who may be
doubting the actions of the police force. Both genres if anything are trying to raise general
awareness to the public, for instance, the first genre concludes the different events that have
ended in riots raising awareness that people may react in several ways when it has some type of
effect on them such as the Ferguson Riots. The Ferguson riots started after a verdict that to the
public was wrong their reaction is normal if they seem to be scared for their safety, such as the
many different riots that have been held. The second genre is somewhat different it lets people
know what is going on yet leaves a bit of a hanging point making it seem that they doubt what is
said such as, Police were heavily armed but say they did not use their firearms during the rioting
overnight (BBC, 2014). Maybe there isnt much there, but to others may not be that way it may
sound like a sarcastic comment if no shooting was going to be involved why the need of being
heavily armed. The audience for both genres most likely would want to know why the articles
are being published and thoughts on the issue or even thorough information and relations to other
events that have happened. The tone that the genres may set may raise questions for the second
genre, for the first genre it can create conclusions and links to several events in history. Time
being spent on both genres may vary on the knowledge the reader may have on the events being

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presented. The first genre which involves the different riots in history most likely will involve
the reader to spend a lot of time most likely researching the different events. Both genres differ
in the approach they have taken upon the topic therefore, they also attract different audiences due
to the information provided. A significant difference both inquire is that the second genre is
published through Britain news and is more informative rather than the first genre that includes
more than one American Riot somewhat comparing each riot.
Rhetorical issues: Pathos, Ethos and Logos
In the first genre the source gains credibility through enabling and show casing real past
events. Events that have been recorded one way or another even if it was through just an old
news channel, before it gives any information theres a picture of a scene of the event or a person
that might have contributed to the scene. The facts given make a reader believe and understand
what the point of the article is. The second genre is strictly informative given that it is portrayed
by a nationwide news channel/website is the credibility needed for someone to believe what is
said. Beyond the reason that its a news article there is the fact that, it includes interviews, links
to expansion on events, and videos of events that have happened during then Ferguson Riots.
The second genre uses a lot of emotional appeal, through images of the situation and
interviews from the parents of the victim, Mike Brown. But they also appealed for calm, saying:
"Let's not just make noise, let's make a difference", and calling for all police to wear body
cameras. (BBC, 2014). The use of this excerpt of the may cause readers to feel emotionally
connected and burdened by what happened to the teen. The first genre doesnt necessarily use a
lot of emotional appeal. The only thing that might be able to cause such effect on the readers
would be the images shown of every major American riot history has seen. The effectiveness of
both genres are quite different on one hand the first genre doesnt exactly have enough to make

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someone emotionally tied to what its trying to portray, while the second genre uses its emotional
appeal quite well it can make a reader feel for the teenager and his family maybe even the
African American race being discriminated.
The first genre uses logic through the evidence used to prove their point. The evidence as
it has been mentioned before was the series of events comparing and contrasting to an extent the
different riots mentioned. The use of the evidence is deliberately reliable simply because its a
timeline of true events all involving similar instances such as Liberty, Discrimination, and people
evoking for what they believe in. For the second genre logic is built through the interviews,
images, and giving outsiders the perspective of the events and reasons as to why the riot is going
on. The evidence is reliable because it was published through a news channel, which they seem
to always portray the truth and inform others supported by true events, people involved and
conferences.
Structure and delivery
The first genre portrays the information in a very structural way for instance before every
summary of past events including Ferguson a picture is displayed showing either a part of the
scene, a person involved, or images relating to the reason of the riots. The way its structured is
shaped such as the way a timeline would be, which makes sense when trying to portray
Americas history of riots throughout time. The author catches the audiences attention not only
by the title but by also adding need to know bullet points at the beginning. The images convey
another different type of communication showing the tragic side or also somewhat conveying
different side of the event.

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The second genre uses a formal news structure starting off by giving background on the
event and what led to the riots that started. The article is strictly informing others about what is
going on. BBC also uses videos periodically, theres about two videos on the page of reports
during the riots. The way they convey the information is effective in the manner of being straight
forward and to the point it also intrigues readers to want to know more and become highly
interested in the topic.
Both genres are trying to inform readers and somehow convince them to view things their
way. The difference and limitations are the pretty much the same. Both articles are quite different
and are trying to portray different ideas as to the first genre it is limited in how much they are
able to say all that they really introduce and give to the readers are simply small paragraphs
summarizing the events. The second genre is able to be more elaborate for it is a whole news
report pieced together to inform and give broader details of the event, not only that but also
portray the view point with more evidence and convincing details. For the second genre the
subtitles also help in conveying each of the purpose and creating certain view points for the
reader.
Conclusion/Synthesis
The second genre is most likely be the source that was able to convey the message more
clearly. The reason being it was based on facts that linked to one another and also had a broader
way of and larger scale of explaining the topic. The first genre doesnt exactly convey much of
the point due to the fact that all that it is doing is explaining the different similar events, but
doesnt explain how they can all be relate there is no comparison throughout the article. A reader
would likely be looking for a comparison simply because of the starting sentence The anger

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coming out of Ferguson, Missouri, is part of our historic DNA. (Tauranien, 2014)

References
(2014). Ferguson riots: Ruling sparks night of violence. BBC.
Taurianen, J. (2014). Fire & tear gas: 9 biggest protests in U.S. history. HLN.