This article explores the textual properties of arguably one of the most influential textual domains in contemporary society; that of mass-media discourse. Within this genre, it examines English-language hard news media reports from the United States, Great Britain and Australia focussing on the concepts of objectivity within this domain. Drawing inspiration from White's (2001, 2002a) and Martin's (2000,2004) heteroglossic engagement perspective, and Halliday's (1978, 1994)semiotic theory and model of transitivity, this paper examines a range of linguistic mechanisms employed within the genre of hard news. In particular it focuses on the linguistic resources of the so called neutral projecting clauses of attributed messages and the ways that reporters can indirectly convey attitudinal positions and engagement using these neutral mechanisms. The analysis shows that even with these so called neutral attribution framers it is still possible through semantic and linguistic means for reporters to adopt stances, to construct textual personas and to manage interpersonal positioning and relations within the genre of objective hard news.