從「逃兵」到「國防部長」：2023年世界棒球經典賽張育成新聞報導批判論述分析

Abstract

本研究聚焦於2023年世界棒球經典賽期間，台灣棒球選手張育成從婉拒徵召引發兵役爭議到憑藉優異表現扭轉形象的事件，透過批判論述分析視角，探討媒體如何運用語言符號、敘事結構與意識形態操作，形塑國族意涵與集體認同。本研究重點關注張育成從爭議到認同的轉變過程，分析媒體敘事如何操作「我族」與「他者」的動態邊界，並嘗試理解國族敘事背後的多重運作機制。 研究結果顯示，2023年世界棒球經典賽期間《自由時報電子報》傾向以本土化語言與草根敘事建構台灣內部的國族認同，強調張育成作為台灣棒球國族象徵的內生性意涵。《中時新聞網》則依賴外媒視角與美國框架，反映出台灣棒球國族意識對外部認可的高度依賴。兩家媒體雖採取不同的敘事策略，但均透過角色重塑與集體記憶操作，使張育成的形象從爭議回歸榮耀。 此外，本研究發現，「我族」與「他者」的身份邊界在張育成事件中呈現高度流動性，並受媒體敘事操控。初期因婉拒徵召，媒體以負面標籤將其推向邊陲，隨後隨著亮眼表現敘事轉向，使其重回「我族」核心，成為國族英雄。此案例突顯台灣棒球國族主義的彈性與依附性，並顯示媒體在形塑國族認同與情感動員中的話語權地位。 台灣棒球國族主義在內、外部權力關係中的多重張力，值得深入探討其如何受到媒體敘事與社會輿論的影響。本研究也進一步提出針對新聞報導敘事策略的建議，強調媒體應如何在兼顧公共責任與新聞專業的同時，提升內容的深度與多元性。期望此研究能為運動、媒體與國族主義領域提供新的視角與實務參考，促進更成熟的體育新聞敘事與國族認同討論。

This study examines the transformation of Taiwanese baseball player Yu Chang’s public image during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, from initial controversy over his refusal to accept the national team’s call-up to his eventual redemption through outstanding performance. Adopting a critical discourse analysis perspective, this research explores how media employed linguistic symbols, narrative structures, and ideological strategies to construct nationalistic meanings and collective identity. The study focuses on the dynamic shift in media narratives from controversy to recognition, analyzing how these narratives shaped the boundary between ingroup and outgroup (van Dijk) and uncovering the underlying mechanisms of national discourse formation. The findings indicate that Liberty Times Net tended to construct an internalized sense of Taiwanese national identity through localized language and grassroots narratives, emphasizing Yu Chang as an intrinsic national symbol of Taiwanese baseball. In contrast, China Times relied heavily on perspectives from foreign media and an Americanized framework, reflecting Taiwanese baseball nationalism’s dependence on external recognition. Despite their differing narrative strategies, both media outlets engaged in role redefinition and collective memory reconstruction, ultimately transforming Yu Chang’s image from controversy back to national glory. Furthermore, this study reveals that the identity boundaries of ingroup and outgroup were highly fluid in the case of Yu Chang and were largely manipulated by media discourse. Initially, due to his refusal to join the national team, he was marginalized through negative labeling. However, as his performance improved, the narrative shifted, reintegrating him into the ingroup as a national hero. This case highlights the flexibility and dependency of Taiwanese baseball nationalism, as well as the media’s discursive power in shaping national identity and emotional mobilization. The tensions within Taiwanese baseball nationalism, shaped by both internal and external power dynamics, warrant further examination regarding how media narratives and public opinion influence this discourse. This study also offers recommendations for news reporting strategies, emphasizing the importance of balancing public responsibility and journalistic professionalism while enhancing content depth and diversity. By providing new perspectives and practical references for the fields of sports, media, and nationalism, this research aims to contribute to a more sophisticated discussion of sports journalism narratives and national identity formation.