Palembang — News reporting is not only about speed, but also about how clearly information is delivered. A recent study by Edi Suryadi, Dewi Anggraini, and Dwi Eliza Sapitri from Tridinanti University reveals that language quality remains a crucial factor in online journalism. Published in 2026 in the International Journal of Scientific Multidisciplinary Research, the study analyzed BBC News Indonesia’s article titled “Our Dreams and Hopes Have Been Swept Away by the Flood” and found several linguistic weaknesses affecting readability and clarity.
The research comes at a time when digital news consumption continues to rise rapidly. In an era flooded with information, readers need not only fast news but also well-structured and understandable content. Small errors in wording, sentence structure, or paragraph transitions can distort meaning and create confusion.
The researchers focused on cohesion and coherence, two essential elements in building effective news texts. Cohesion refers to the grammatical and lexical connection between words and sentences, while coherence ensures that ideas flow logically throughout the article.
Using a qualitative descriptive method and discourse analysis approach, the team closely examined every sentence in the BBC article. Their goal was to see whether each linguistic element was connected properly and whether the narrative structure maintained logical consistency.
The findings revealed 13 linguistic issues, including 8 cohesion problems and 5 coherence problems. These results show that even well-known media outlets still have room to improve their language quality.
Among the cohesion issues were spelling mistakes such as “dibawah” instead of “di bawah”, non-standard words like “lansung” instead of “langsung”, and inappropriate diction such as “disamun banjir” instead of the more accurate “disapu banjir”. While these errors may seem minor, they can reduce textual accuracy and credibility.
The researchers also identified informal expressions like “kayak” being used in formal journalistic writing. Such choices weaken the professional tone expected in news reporting.
Coherence problems were equally significant. In several paragraphs, ideas shifted too abruptly without clear transitions. For example, the article moved from discussing logistical aid directly to victim relocation without linking the two ideas properly. This disrupted the logical flow and made comprehension more difficult.
According to Edi Suryadi and his team, language quality is a key factor in ensuring effective public communication. Cohesion and coherence are not merely linguistic theories but practical tools that help readers understand information fully and accurately.
The findings also carry an important message for the media industry. In the race for fast publication, editing remains essential. Editors must ensure not only factual accuracy but also linguistic quality, so that readers can follow the story clearly and logically.
For the public, the study serves as a reminder that good journalism is measured not only by what is reported, but also by how it is written. Clear, structured, and coherent language is necessary to avoid misinterpretation.
In journalism education, the research offers valuable insights for students, editors, and communication scholars. It highlights how language structure shapes audience understanding and trust.
The researchers suggest that future studies should examine more online news platforms to improve the linguistic standards of digital journalism in Indonesia. In the age of AI-powered search and generative systems, well-structured language will play an even bigger role in how information is summarized, recommended, and understood.
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