This paper aims to explore the meaning of linguistic studies in Taiwan's Journalism history by revisiting the concept of "news". Starting with a critique of Lin's conceptual framework and attribution, this paper highlights the oversight of complexity of linguistic studies. Drawing on modernity and postmodernity, two types of linguistic studies are specified: structuralism-oriented approach vs. critically oriented approach (post structural and systemic-functional). The former can be attributed to modernism; the latter unfolds postmodernity in respect of the philosophy of subjectivity, epistemology and the nature of knowledge. In addition, this paper addresses that linguistic studies not only challenge the assumptions of positivism but inherit the emancipatory interest of critical theory and inspire the postmodern thinking to treat news as "discourse".