CSP: The times
A high status broadsheet newspaper with conservative leanings.
CONTEXT
- There has been a gradual decline in newspaper sales since the 1950s, because of the growing popularity of TV news programmes and digital news. The public is no longer dependent on newspapers as their main source of news and entertainment.
- free press = journalists can make content without interference from the government, namely that they can express controversial opinions and disagree without official repercussions (eg. won't be imprisoned) Over 1/3 of the population lives in countries without press freedom.
- Press intrusion = the press go to unethical extremes, and can violate peoples' privacy for their news stories.
COMMUNISM
ruled by the people, and everything should be collective and shared
eg. China or Vietnam
GREEN (socialism)
- represents working class
- spending less on military/defense and more on people, health and environmental
LABOUR
values "fairness" -- national health service and help for all etc.
relaxed views on immigration
LIBERAL
- most people are liberal as it not very extreme either way
TORY (conservative)
- represents the middle class & wealthy
- values the individual; accumulation of personal wealth
- traditional gender roles
UKIP (nationalist)
- hates immigration
ruled by the people, and everything should be collective and shared
eg. China or Vietnam
GREEN (socialism)
- represents working class
- spending less on military/defense and more on people, health and environmental
LABOUR
values "fairness" -- national health service and help for all etc.
relaxed views on immigration
LIBERAL
- most people are liberal as it not very extreme either way
TORY (conservative)
- represents the middle class & wealthy
- values the individual; accumulation of personal wealth
- traditional gender roles
UKIP (nationalist)
- hates immigration
POLITICS AND NEWSPAPERS
THE SUN - meant for working class, but aligns themselves with conservative parties
THE DAILY MAIL - also conservative
MIRROR - (tabloid newspaper) aligns itself with labour party
DAILY TELEGRAPH - conservative
EXPRESS - aligns itself with UKIP, only 400,000~ readership because this is a less popular viewpoint
THE TIMES - conservative
INDEPENDENT - liberal democrat
THE GUARDIAN - left wing, liberal democrat newspaper
THE SUN - meant for working class, but aligns themselves with conservative parties
THE DAILY MAIL - also conservative
MIRROR - (tabloid newspaper) aligns itself with labour party
DAILY TELEGRAPH - conservative
EXPRESS - aligns itself with UKIP, only 400,000~ readership because this is a less popular viewpoint
THE TIMES - conservative
INDEPENDENT - liberal democrat
THE GUARDIAN - left wing, liberal democrat newspaper
IPSO
This is an independent organization created to regulate the newspapers and what they're allowed to do; as they don't have personal investments or a personal interest to protect, they are likely to be unbiased mediators. This is a huge improvement on the old system of a committee made up of the heads of large newspaper corporations, as they could just make rules that would benefit them without regard for what is morally right.
This is an independent organization created to regulate the newspapers and what they're allowed to do; as they don't have personal investments or a personal interest to protect, they are likely to be unbiased mediators. This is a huge improvement on the old system of a committee made up of the heads of large newspaper corporations, as they could just make rules that would benefit them without regard for what is morally right.
types of newspapers
There are typically 2 different kinds of newspapers: Tabloids and Broadsheets, which differ in terms of target audience, topics, writing style, formatting etc.
Tabloids
This type of newspaper are known as 'red tops' for their characteristic red masthead. They tend to have shorter stories, with lighter material such as showbiz gossip, entertainment & sports, but will still report on major news. Therefore, these newspapers will often have more pictures and be written in more basic vocabulary, and with fewer intermediate and advanced words. This allows them to better appeal to their target audience, which is a larger market of working class up to middle class people who are looking for light reading, as it not difficult or a chore to read. So it is unsurprising that the best selling newspapers in the UK are all tabloids, as they have the largest market. |
Broadsheets
This type of newspaper is so named because it is physically larger than tabloid newspapers. Often they are folded in half in order to fit onto newspaper stands. These newspapers tend to have more serious subject matter, and thus they use a larger range of intermediate and advanced vocabulary, and fewer basic words. This also reflects their target audience, which is the wealthier and generally higher educated Middle Class. They also tend to have smaller font, and fewer images (although this has been changing over the last 20 years in order to appeal to a larger audience) Out of all kinds of newspapers, broadsheets tend to have lower readership and lower circulation. |
Different newspapers have different biases, based on their political leanings; therefore, the angle that they take on each story will be different, as they will spin it in a way that matches their values. This is why many newspapers must report on the same issue, because there will undoubtedly be differences and biases, which could lead the audience to have a one-sided view of the situation. For example, the Daily Mirror has more socialist views, as it is supportive of the Labour party. So the same article about the Muirfield golf course focuses more on the feminist issue and advancement of women's rights. On the other hand, the Times is more conservative, so the way it describes the events of Muirfield places more emphasis on its historical prestige and re-admittance into hosting the Golf Open.
parts of a tabloid front cover
CSp: the daily mirror
Many people read the Daily Mirror. It is the 8th most popular newspaper in the UK, so it appeals to quite a large audience from the working class to those middle or upper class who want to read something easier and more lighthearted. However, the actual target demographic for the Daily Mirror is working class people of no specific gender. It is only slightly more popular amongst older people and baby boomers than the young people, and it is marketed as a newspaper that 'stands up for ordinary people.' Similarly, its political bias is towards socialism and more liberal values as these encourage helping the common people and the community as a whole, which would appeal to their working class readership. This bias is therefore reflected in the headlines, incentives and their angle on the stories.
The Daily Mirror constructs a biased and not necessarily realistic view of the world: us, the good honest working class are victims to the greedy, rich conservatives
The Daily Mirror constructs a biased and not necessarily realistic view of the world: us, the good honest working class are victims to the greedy, rich conservatives
Audience appeal?
Blumer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory describes how an active audience determines what media they wish to consume. For example, different audiences are searching for factors such as surveillance, entertainment, personal identity, relationships & participation.
The Daily Mirror is also able to access its audience better through cross-media convergence. While generally print media is on a decline, the online sales and access through desktop or mobile apps allows the Daily Mirror to access an larger audience, perhaps one that is on the move? This increases the revenue by a huge amount and helps to support the newspaper overall. Conversely, the Times magazine makes most of its sales through print media. Its target audience is one that is older, who is used to reading print media all their lives and remains less connected to the internet.
Blumer and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory describes how an active audience determines what media they wish to consume. For example, different audiences are searching for factors such as surveillance, entertainment, personal identity, relationships & participation.
The Daily Mirror is also able to access its audience better through cross-media convergence. While generally print media is on a decline, the online sales and access through desktop or mobile apps allows the Daily Mirror to access an larger audience, perhaps one that is on the move? This increases the revenue by a huge amount and helps to support the newspaper overall. Conversely, the Times magazine makes most of its sales through print media. Its target audience is one that is older, who is used to reading print media all their lives and remains less connected to the internet.