Newspaper Flashcards
(38 cards)
Semiotic Analysis of The Times
current times - is older, more reliable, been around for longer, logo is royal, conservative, summary of articles, more staged, proper, Kate stands out, standard Serif font - more traditional, sophisticated, masthead is black using binary opposites
Semiotic analysis of Daily Mirror
reflects daily, gossip, paparazzi style, magazine-like, colourful, lower reading age, preview of articles, candid, Kate blends in, “for more…” intrigues audience, red top, modern, different/bold fonts, reaction shot illustrates casualty and humour, visually appealing, eye-catching
News selection - 26th April, 2019
The Times celebrates the royal duty whilst Daily Mirror talks about the internal conflict in the royal family. This reflects the identical current values however different impacts of their news selection. This is a reflection of media ownership and the contrasting news selection values. The Times is a traditional, conservative newspaper with a higher NHS social target whilst Daily Mirror is more gossip-focused.
It is Anzac day and prince William is in New Zealand. William and Harry were not getting along, and Kate did not like this fact.
News values
- impact
- human interest
- current / suitable
- unexpected / controversial
- conflict
- close to home
- prominent
- timeliness
- progress
- genuine
Tabloids
The Sun, The Mirror, The Star (Red tops) /
Daily Mail and Daily Express - ‘middle market’ (mixture of tabloid/broadsheet audience)
Smaller in size Daily Mirror Lower reading age, basic language, stronger narrative. More critical / gossip language. Gossip. A visual focus - filled with images. Lots of images, few headlines Targets a NRS audience of C2 and D Cheaper - 0.90P Better sellers
Broadsheets
The Daily Telegraph, The Times (recently changed sizes to make more accessible), Guardian, Financial Times
Bigger in size The Times More sophisticated language requiring higher reading age. Longer sentences and paragraphs. Less emotive language. News. Politics. International. Culture. Sport. All for information purposes - less for entertainment. (serious) Fewer images. Smaller font Dominated by copy (text). Targets a NRS audience of A and B More expensive. The Times is £2.20. Lower circulation figures
Contexts
- The Times was first published on January 1, 1785. The starting target audience was “educated” people around the world.
- The Daily Mirror was launched on 2 November 1903 by Alfred Harmsworth (later Lord Northcliffe) as a newspaper for women, run by women.
- The UK had a population of 45,888,900 in 1931. 30,592,600 people read newspapers each day. “Almost everyone” read one on Sundays, as it was the simplest, cheapest way to keep updated. The Morning Star was founded in 1930 as the Daily Worker, an organ of the Communist Party of Great Britain (CPGB). It is a left-wing British daily tabloid newspaper with a focus on social and trade union issues.
- In response to a threat of statutory regulation, the General Council of the Press was formed in 1953, membership being restricted to newspaper editors, funded by newspaper proprietors. By the time of the Second Royal Commission on the Press in 1962, the General Council had been subject to considerable criticism. Self-regulation is important as it avoids the government coming into the business. If media is government-regulated it starts to become political.
Sales figures
The circulation and sales in newspapers have declined over the last 70 years due to the rise of the ‘digital age.’ This is shown through the reduce in sales of The Times and Daily Mirror between 2020 and 2021. The impact of easy accessible, immediate internet has affected the need for hard-copy newspapers.
The increase in the numbers and diversity of newspapers have lead to an increase in audience however a decrease in the audience for individual newspapers. The more options that are available, the more I get to choose what to read (Stuart Hall’s reception theory)
What is a free press and why is it important?
The ‘press’ is a collective term for the newspaper industry. A free press implies that journalists and newspaper editors can edit content free of intervention from Government influence. A free press could report on government wrongdoing and be beneficial to a democratic society. Information (U&G) needs to be trusted.
Why do some countries not want a free press?
Free press causes problems as journalists could be imprisoned if they have contrasting opinions to the Government. Stories published should be influenced by political environments. Free press would cause audiences to be heavily influenced by a sole opinion that could manipulate the actual news.
What is circulation?
number of copies that are distributed to newsagents and news stands on an average day
Why regulation?
Sometimes it is not facts that are reported but the opinions of journalists and editors.
This is known as bias.
This is one of the reasons why newspapers are subject to regulation.
Leverson Inquiry
- was set up after the murder of a school girl, and the news were caught going through her phone (illegally accessing the voicemail messages on other people’s phones, without their knowledge or consent.)
- They were also accused of bribing police officers.
- The News of the World was closed down by its owner, News International, when this information became public.
- showed that the PCC (press complaints commission) was not independent.
Lord Justice Leveson, on the evidence presented at the Leveson inquiry, stated his recommendations on how the press should be regulated. They were:
- Newspapers should continue to be self-regulated and government should have no power over what newspapers publish.
- A new press standards organisation, with a new code of conduct should be created by the press industry. Legislation should be provided to ensure this new press standards organisation would be independent and effective in dealing with public complaints.
Who regulates newspapers now?
Newspaper editors must follow the rules of the Editor’s Code of Practice.
Before the Leveson inquiry, newspapers and their editors were regulated by the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).
After the Leveson Inquiry it was replaced by the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO).
The IPSO now investigate complaints about breaches of the Editor’s Code of Practice.
Bias in the UK Press
There is a notable right-wing bias across the British press - The Sun, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, The Times and the Daily Express. (arguably more BREXIT party) all support the Conservatives. Only the Daily Mirror and The Guardian support Labour. The Independant is neutral and probably closest to the Liberal Democrats.
Ownership
Rupert Murdoch owns NewsCorp who owns the Times.
Daily Mirror is owned by Reach plc.
Comparing Audiences - use of images
Kate looks much more “royal” in The Times; the photo is a lot more staged whilst the Daily Mirror is more candid and casual. Both newspapers use similar shots (mid shot) and show the outfit. Both are paparazzi shots. The Times emphasises on the poppy for Anzac Day. The choice of location in the photos steer the narrative. The Times supports the establishment in the background whilst Daily Mirrror correlates the royalty with something the audience can relate to; a basic road. Daily Mirror’s use of reaction shots feeds their target audience with the drama, secrecy and exclusivity they desire.
Comparing Audiences - headlines
represent the editorial selection of what news makes the front page. “Fee-paying schools ‘save the taxpayer £20 billion” targets an NRS social grade of tax payers. It is an article that justifies individuals’ want to pay for their children. “No MMR jab no school” points a finger at the government for interfering with individual rights and affects what families decide to do. This appeals to a left-leaning audience / the working class.
Comparing Audiences - Feature Articles/writing style - Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror paints Kate as the hero and William and Harry as the stubborn ‘villains’. The quote “She is behind ‘olive branch’ Windsor meeting” proves this. It is revealed that unless Kate can fix this, the Monarchy falls apart. This will affect the world. Readers understand how childish the royal family can be and how their argument is quite trivial.
“Got a story? Call us free” encourages interaction between the newspaper and the audience.
Comparing Audiences - Feature Articles/writing style - The Times
The Times takes a more formal, factual editorial approach to telling the news, leaving out the gossip behind the characters featured. “Royal Anzac day on both sides of the world” tells it all. “Pay tribute”, “remembrance” and personal recollections prove the newspaper to be much more factual.
Layout of Newspapers
Incentive - encourages audience to buy a copy
Pug - placed to grab attention
Dateline - published date of paper
Byline - reporter / writer of article
Daily Mirror - Appeals to the target audience
“Wills” - more personal.
“Hurtful rift” - adds a narrative, more intriguing, more emotion
“Fighting for you” - appeals to a left-leaning audience, they’re in the working class and Daily Mirror is supporting them. Daily Mirror is fighting for their rights and wellbeing. Beneficial to them
“Royal exclusive” - USP available only with the purchase of this newspaper. Seeing into private lives of the elite, unlike the lives they’ve been living
“No MMR jab… no school” - institution of government telling people what they can or can’t do. If their children don’t go to school, they may not get meals or any activity throughout the day. Preferred/oppositional reading
“3 for ￡1” - cheap deal, something the working class would appreciate. Tesco is a brand that would be seen with working class customers.
Pictures - candid, in the moment, more personal.
The Times - Appeals to the target audience
“Fee-paying schools” - targeted at upper class or upper-middle class, who can afford private schooling. Supporting them by telling them they are actually helping the government.
“Britain’s most trusted national newspaper” - mainstream appeal, everyone trusts it therefore they will trust it. They position themselves as a newspaper that speaks for everyone.
“Bricks & Mortar” - traditional businesses
