The Guardian Flashcards
(6 cards)
The product
British national daily newspaper.
Print circulation: ~105,000 (July 2021); figures no longer public since Aug 2021.
Target audience: educated, liberal, affluent, ABC1 demographic (86%); 54% male; average age 54.
Former broadsheet, now tabloid format for cost and convenience.
Media Language Choices
Main image: Boris Johnson jogging in casual, mismatched clothes – not a typical PM image.
Caption anchors the image: names dog “Dilyn”, location “St James’s Park”.
Visuals portray Johnson as clownish and inept – appeals to Guardian’s left-leaning audience.
Headline: “Cummings accuses PM of lying over No. 10 Party” – direct, dramatic, implies political wrongdoing.
Word “party” contrasts with lockdown sacrifices, reinforces negative portrayal of Johnson.
Secondary headline: “Inquiry launched into Mone over ‘VIP Lane’ deal” – continues anti-Conservative narrative.
Coverline: “What we miss about working in the office” – uses “we” to build reader identity (educated, office-based).
Codes & Conventions
Headlines: factual, formal – typical of broadsheets.
Skyline promotes G2 supplement – offers lifestyle content, softer tone.
Intertextual office image + wine feature appeal to audience interests.
Social & Political Context
Dominic Cummings (ex-aide to Johnson) exposes PM’s behaviour via blog.
COVID-19 lockdown rules restricted gatherings; “Partygate” broke these laws.
Rise of remote work culture post-pandemic.
Ukraine/Russia tensions escalate in late 2021; Guardian supports Ukraine’s sovereignty.
Guardian is mainstream left, not party-affiliated, but critical of Conservatives.
Independent ownership = focus on journalism over profit.
Representation of Politicians
Layout appeals to left-leaning readers.
Conservatives (Johnson, Mone) shown as dishonest and unethical.
Johnson’s photo lacks authority and formality – questions his competence.
Ukraine article avoids mentioning Conservative govt – reflects editorial bias.
Steryotypes
Office workers in skyline use familiar stereotypes (e.g. office romance, geek, joker).
Broadsheets use stereotypes more in lifestyle features than news.
