THE DAILY MALE (HISTORICAL, SOCIAL, CULTURAL CONTEXT)

Question 1

Historical context?

Answer 1

• Founded by Alfred Harmsworth in 1896 as the first mass-market daily paper.
• Historical support for the Conservative Party (even sympathised with facist movements in 1930s)

Question 2

Political context? (key facts)

Answer 2

• Historically conservative and right wing.
• Famously endorsed facist movements and leaders such as Mussolini and Hitler in the 1930s (e.g Critised for ‘Hurrah for the Blackshirts’ 1934 headline)
• Supported Thatcher policies, pro-brexit dicourse etc

Question 3

Economic context?

Answer 3

Owned by Daily Mail and General Trust (DMGT) — a commercially driven media group focused on profit.

Maintains editorial independence but with clear alignment to conservative capitalist ideology.

DMGT enjoys almost 25% of the market share in print news industry.

DMGT total revenue of 2 billion (though print circulation figures have dropped by 12.9%–parent company is thriving)

Question 4

Social context (key ideas)

Answer 4

The background and values of the DM’s owners influence the papers conservative, nationalist, anti-progressive editorial stance and news values.

Key issues covered (immigration, crime and punishment, welfare and benefits, patriotism, moral panic)

DM often attempts to exploit class tensions via populist rhetoric.

Elderly audience (50+) influence its focus on health care, crime, nostalgia, natioanl decline, negative framing of youth-led social movements.

Question 5

Ownership and influence on social context, editorial stances etc

Answer 5

Jonathan Harmsworth- proprietor of DM, main shareholder of DMGT.

Ted Verity- current editor.

Both wealthy, white, male and upper-class thus reflect their interests through newsvalyes and editorial stance.

Question 6

Who is the current editor of the DM?

Answer 6

Ted Verity

Question 7

Who is the proprietor and main shareholder of DMGT media?

Answer 7

Jonathan Harmsworth (also known as Viscount Rothermere)

Question 8

Who founded the newspaper?

Answer 8

Alfred Harmsworth

Question 9

How does the DM exploit class tensions via populist rhteroric?

Answer 9

• Villification of percieved elite ‘politicians, academics, BBC, EU’
• Villifications of certain social groups who are represented as threats to national prosperity.

~~ reflect attempst to reinforce readers values/ fustrations.