Component 1: Section A - Media Language and Representation - The Times

Question 1

What is gatekeeping?

Answer 1

• The filtering of information based on the information that is or is not appropriate to be published in the newspaper.

Question 2

What are news values?

Answer 2

• General guidelines or criteria which determine how much prominence media outlets give a news story.

Question 3

What is the epistemology?

Answer 3

• The theory of knowledge, especially with regards to method, validity, and scope, and distinction between justified belief and opinion.
• Newspaper epistemologies are either objective or subjective.

Question 4

Give at least three examples of news values.

Answer 4

At least two from:

• Recency
• Size
• Continuity
• Simplicity
• Elite nations or people.
• Predictability
• Unexpectedness
• Negativity

Question 5

What type of newspaper is the Times?

Answer 5

• A broadsheet.

Question 6

How can the front cover of the Times be unpicked?

Give at least five examples.

Answer 6

At least five from:

• Pence is out of focus which suggests that he is of less importance than Trump.
• The microphone that Pence is holding connotes power and authority.
• The red, white and blue colour scheme suggests patriarchy and loyalty to America.
• The serif fonts connote seriousness.
• The medium close up of Trump suggests that the Times are stepping back and allowing readers to make their own opinion about the election.
• Trump dominates the front page which connotes his importance.
• The use of the lexical code ‘the new world’ suggests that America is the new world and that trump will make it better.
• Trump’s gesture code of his fist hitting the air suggests that he is happy with the election.
• Both Pence and Trump are wearing suits which shows their high level of authority.
• The fact that Pence is clapping suggests that he approves of the election outcome.

Question 7

What is an example of an action code seen on the front page of the Times?

Answer 7

• The microphone - used to allow Tump to put to the public his plans for the future.

Question 8

Give at least two examples of enigma codes seen on the front page.

Answer 8

At least two from:

• What is the new world, is it good or bad?
• Why will America be proud?
• Microphone - could be used as enigma as we do not fully know his plan.

Question 9

What is an example of an symbolic code seen on the front page of the Times?

Answer 9

• The flag - American colours which suggests that Trump is in support of making America better.

Question 10

What is an example of an semantic code seen on the front page of the Times?

Answer 10

• Colour schemes of red, white and blue suggest that Trump is patriarchal.

Question 11

Give at least two examples of the similarities between the Times and The Mirror.

Answer 11

At least two from:

• Both papers are British.
• Both papers use American iconography, such as the American flag and pin.
• Both newspapers report on the same story and have at least two similar news values, recency and size.

Question 12

Give at least two examples of the difference (with regards to the Times) between the Mirror and the Times.

Answer 12

At least two from:

• The newspaper establishes a neutral epistemology where audiences can make their own opinions.
• Objective and subjective.
• The article does not get the readers full attention, as the Times allow the audiences to make their own opinions so do not need either a left or right wing political stance.
• Is a broadsheet - the intended reader is someone who is middle class and highly educated.
• Uses a wraparound cover - Trump is on the front so is most important and Pence is on the back as he is less important.
• Authentic, real images have been used. These have been manipulated.

Question 13

Give at least two examples of the difference (with regards to the Mirror) between the Mirror and the Times.

Answer 13

At least two from:

• Uses red font which connotes anger, danger and supports Republican ideology (Trump is a Republican).
• The newspaper uses a manipulated image which could suggest that they are appealing to a working class, less highly educated audience who do not support Trump.
• Includes a rhetorical question ‘what have they done?’ which references the idea that America have made a mistake.
• Is a tabloid - designed for working class, less highly educated audiences.
• The newspaper uses non-authentic language.
• There is a lack of the America flag which suggests that the Mirror do not support American ideas and are anti-Trump.

Question 14

When was the Times first published?

Answer 14

1785

Question 15

When was this addition of the newspaper published?

Answer 15

10th November 2016 following the election of Trump to become the president of America.

Question 16

What is the Times famous for, and what does this allow?

Answer 16

• Having a wide range of journalists with varied political viewpoints which allows for a neutral political stance to be placed on Trump’s election.

Question 17

What does the use of the American iconography do?

Answer 17

• Provide cultural context for the story and connotes patriotism.