THE DAILY MAIL (INDUSTRY CONTEXT)

Question 1

What is the Daily Mail?

Answer 1

A British Mid-market tabloid newspaper, first published in 1898 by Harmsworth. It is currently owned by Associated Newspapers (part of the Daily Mail and General Trust) and controlled by the Rothermere Family.

Question 2

What genre is the Daily Mail?

Answer 2

Mid-market tabloid Sitting between serious broadsheets (The Guardian) and sensationalist tabloids (The Sun)

Question 3

Who is the Daily Mail owned by?

Answer 3

• Currently owned by Associated Newspapers (which owns Daily Mail and General Trust) which is controlled by the Rothermere Family.
• DMGT AND NEWS UK control over 60% of newspaper circulation in the UK.
  (owned by wealthy, white, male media barons or proprietors who control global media outlets)

Associated Newspapers is a major UK newspaper publishing company, primarily known for owning the Daily Mail and The Mail on Sunday.

Question 4

What is the DMGT?

Answer 4

Large, vertically integrated media conglomerate which owns other media holdings (Mail on Sunday, Metro)

Question 5

Political beliefs?

Answer 5

• Right-wing, conservative stance.
• Supports the Conservative Party.
• Often criticizes Labour, EU, immigration, and “woke” culture.
• Pro-Brexit, anti-EU rhetoric.

Question 6

How is the Daily Mail funded?

Answer 6

• Print sales
• Freemium online model: Free access with heavy ad support. MailOnline generates over 50% of DMGT’s revenue, offsetting print declines
• Dependence on programmatic advertising (automated ad placements).

Cost-cutting: Reduced print journalists, increased digital focus.

Question 7

Buisiness model?

Answer 7

Print sales of the newspaper
Strong digital arm- digital advertising revenue from MailOnline.
Privately owned and profit-driven company. Effect= Strong focus on commercial success

Question 8

Online edition- MailOnline

Answer 8

• MailOnline is one of the most read English language news websites globally.
• Relies on clickbait, SEO-driven headlines, and programmatic ads.
• 314 million monthly readers.

Question 9

Content style?

Answer 9

Sensationalist headlines, mixes hard news and celebrity gossip and opinion pieces. Heavy focus on crime, immigration, health scares and royal family drama.

Question 10

Regulated?

Answer 10

Regulated by IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) after the Leveson Inquiry (2012).

Question 11

Controversies?

Answer 11

Accused of racism, sexism, intrusive reporting and xenophobia (e.g., hostile Meghan Markle coverage). Criticized for misleading headlines and fearmongering (e.g., “Migrant Invasion”).

Question 12

Popularity?

Answer 12

Second best selliong UK National paper after the Sun.

Question 14

Revelant media theorists for industry context?

Answer 14

• Chomsky’s Manufacturing Conset- The media serves elite interests by filtering news through ownership, advertsing, sourcing, flak, and ideology.
• Curran & Seaton- Media power is concentrated in the hands of a few wealthy owners, limiting pluralism, and democratic debate.
• Hall- Media encodes dominant ideologies through stereotypes, selective reporting, and framing.
• Uses & Gratification- combines surveillance (news) + diversion (gossip).
• Hesmondhalgh- Media companies are profit-driven, risk-averse, and rely on formulaic content.