The Newspaper Industry
The Newspaper Industry
Compare how producers can use representations to position the audience. Make reference to the copy of Metro you have been provided with and the front page of The Times you have studied in class.
Positions - The way in which an audience are 'placed' by the producer using media language.
Knee Jerk Reaction:
Both newspapers use representations of conservative politicians/female politicians/upper middle class/ruling class middle age white women to position the audience in a critical mode of address, and to invite criticism
Plan:
- Lexis
- Headline
- Anchorage
- Main image
- Mise-en-scene
- Van Zoonen
- Bell Hooks
- Stuart Hall
MES
Stereotypes
Lexis
Van Zoonen - feminism
Representation
Composition
Anchorage
Masthead
Copy
Font
Sans serif
Serif
Pick and mix theory
Identity
Right Wing
eft Wing
Advert
Binary Oppositions
Semiotics
Proairectic code
Bias
Manipulative
Tabloid
Representation
Stereotypes = shortcut
Subordinate
Representation is a re-presentation of reality. Representations always reflect the ideology of the producer. In representing their ideology, producers will hope to shape the ideology of the audience.
In this essay, I shall argue that both newspapers use representations of middle age women to position the audience in a highly critical mode of address and to encourage an unfavourable view of the politician in question.
In order to make this argument, I shall refer to The Times, A Right Wing broadsheet, that nevertheless takes a critical approach to then conservative PM Theresa May. I shall also refer to Metro, a tabloid newspaper that takes a critical approach to Liz Truss, the shortest reigning UK PM of all time.
Both newspapers make heavy anchorage through the lexis of their headlines to construct a highly manipulative and highly leading mode of address to position their audiences. The use of hyperbolic language such as 'the worst' makes this ideological perspective explicit for the target audience, and assumes that the target audience already dislikes these political figures in an excellent example of ideological cultivation.
The lexis of 'heavy defeat' reinforces and cultivates the ideological perspective that May is not powerful enough for this position terms such as victory and defeat are symbolic of war, and present to the right wing target audience the idea of a bloody and brutal battle that May has clearly lost. Additionally, through losing this aggressive war, a stereotypical assumption about women is cultivated; that women are emotional, weak, powerless and unsuited for combat. This notion of May being weak and feeble is anchored through the mes of flash photography, which emphasises not only the proairetic code of her eyebags (which suggest sleepiness), but also the MES of her grey hair. This constructs a stereotypical portrayal older women, and reinforces the ideology that they are weak an frail. This ideology will resonate and appeal to the conservative target audience.
The selection of the colour red symbolises danger, blood, aggression and violence
The audience is positioned as male, through the highly stereotypical representation of women which reinforces gender binaries
The Marks and Spencer advert on Metro positions the audience as stereotypical working class, and presents an aspirational mode of addresss
The selection of the story about tabout the cheltanaham festival explicitly positions the audience of the Times as steroeptyoically middle class.
- The use of the close up zoom in shot of Theresa May inside her car constructs a voyeuristic mode of address
One way both newspapers do this is through the use of negative lexis displayed in bold headlines. 'The worst PM we've ever had' 'Driven to despair'
To what extent have recent technological changes affected the newspaper industry? Make reference to The Daily Mirror to support your answer [15]
Daily Mirror fact finding mission
Circulation Refers to how many 'copies' of a media product are distributed to the audience. The measurement of circulation depends on whether a product is physical or digitally distributed. (the most recent figure and a figure from around the turn of the century) 277,550 (2023), 451,466 (2020)
Distribution - - the process of making a media product available to audiences so that they can consume it, which includes aspects of marketing such as creating an advertising campaign. Available digitally online as well as a print copy.
Producer - The maker of a media product: Reach PLC
Vertically or horizontally integrated? Horizontally integrated and specialised industry.
Target demographic: Working Class, British, over 35 and supporting the labour party.
Regulatory body - ISPO (Independent Press Standards Organisation). IPSO is fundamentally identical to the PCC, and operates at an advisory level.
Political ideology - Left Wing Labour party
Controversies - In 2019 they ran a headline controversially humanising a white far right mass murderer, constructing a very different representation to other representations of terrorists.
Recent technological changes have significantly affected the newspaper industry by directly affecting the circulation and distribution of print newspapers:
- Digital technology
- Digital convergence
- Circulation
- Distribution
Power and Media industries:
- Curran and Seaton
- Livingston and Lunt
Cultural industries
- David Hesmonghalgh
Font
Regulation theory - Livingstone & Lunt
Ineffective regulation
Pull quote
Postmodernism? A shift from traditional political beliefs to populism
Digitally convergent media
Website
Shirky - end of audience
Online commenting
Digital technologies
Power and profit
Working Class
Reach PLC
Horizontal integration
Diversification
DAC - Definition, argument, context.
Technological changes refer to how to technologies have advanced over a period of time. Due to the use of digital convergence, previously separate media industry's have been able to combine. In this essay I shall argue, that recent technological changes have affected the newspaper industry to a significant extent. I shall refer to the Daily Mirror through this essay. The Daily Mirror is a Left -Wing tabloid newspaper targeted towards a British, middle class audience.
- Digital technologies have lead to the decline of print media circulation Mirror circulation has fallen by more than 30% in 3 years.
- The availability of online media and the move to websites
- The website offers the audience an interactive experience, and encourages them to become producers Audience engagement through the use of commenting allowing them to become the producer. The comment section allows the audience to share their own ideological perspective. However many comments are irrelevant, unpleasant, misogynistic and disruptive, including comments that have openly supported outlandish conspiracy. This may be highly inappropriate and even illegal. Many comments are intrusive and defamatory. Yet ultimately Reach PLC receive profits as these outlandish pinions create higher audience engagement.
- The hyper modality of the website provides an exciting user experience /mode of address involving a selection of different stories in a variety of different topics.
Class Notes;
Digital technologies have lead to the decline of print media circulation. Mirror Circulation has fallen by more than 30% in three years
The availability of online media and the move to websites
The hyper modality of the website provides and exciting mode of address/user experience, involving a selection of different stories in a variety of different topics
The website offers audiences an interactive experience, and encourages them to become producers. The comments section allows audiences to share their own ideological perspective. However many comments are irreverent, unpleasant, misogynistic and disruptive, including comments that openly support outlandish conspiracy. This may be highly inappropriate and even illegal. Many comments are intrusive and defamatory. Yet ultimately Reach PLC profits off of this as these outlandish opinions create higher user engagement
Website funded exclusively through advertising and sponsorship which leads to a slow and clunky user experience
Newspaper websites present an agile experience for the target audience, and allow only the most up to date news to be quickly and easily shared
Digital technology has lead to a shift from traditional political ideologies to more populist ideologies. The amount of conspiracy theories shared during the covid 19 pandemic represented a huge shift in public opinion and a massive distrust in governments
The Mirror website appeals to a working class audience through being free to access, something made possible through digitally convergent technology. However, a range of highly manipulative and confusing pop up adverts now fund this business.
Selection of scandalous stories combined with a simple straightforward lexis allows the mirror website to cynically target a working class audience. This is made easier than ever through digitally convergent technologies.
Anonymous posting of comments leads to impossible to regulate media.
LESSON 21/4/23:
Explore how the newspaper industry meets the needs of it's target audience. Make reference to a print edition of The Times to support your answer. (10)
NEEDS NEWSPAPERS FULFIL?
- Escapism. The world is bleak, an newspapers help distract from this
- Information. The news helps us to stay up to date and to make sense of the world around us
- Social interaction. We can use the news to help us interact with other people
- Identity . Newspapers help us to form our own identity, and help us to find our political tribe.
In this essay. I shall argue that the newspaper industry meets the needs of it's audience through escapism, information, identity and social integration.
The Times is a right leaning broadsheet newspaper targeting a middle class, middle aged and conservative target audience.
One way they do this is by providing a range of information to keep them up-to-date and make sense of the world around us:
- Example - Famous footballer Pele's death, Vivienne Westwood death, Government issues, Covid 19
PLAN:
Lexis
Captions
Reception Theory - Ideologies are encoded by producers and decoded by audiences
Anchorage
Uses and gratifications
Cultivation theory
Producer
Influence
Ideology
Pick and mix
Identity
Centre right ideology
Stuart Hall reception theory
Mode of address
Formal
Masthead
Hard news
Middle class
(End of audience theory)
Lexis
Broadsheet
Subscription
Escapism
Audiences have a variety of needs that they can get from newspapers. In this essay I shall argue that the newspaper industry meets the needs of it's audience through escapism, information, identity and social integration. I shall refer to the December 30th 2022 edition of the Times. The Times is a right leaning broadsheet newspaper targeting a middle class, middle aged and conservative target audience.
One way they do this is by providing a range of information to keep them up-to-date and make sense of the world around us. For example the front page cover consists of a large image of the Famous footballer Pele announcing his death to their audience to inform them. However, despite how famous Pele is, he is not the headline of this addition. This meets the needs of the audience
, Vivienne Westwood death, Government issues, Covid 19
Paragraphs
PEA - Point, evidence, argument
An article about the UK tennis makes clear that they are British. This connects to and is relatable to the British target audience. Tennis a stereotypically middle class sport with a stereotypically middle class audience which will allow the target audience to pick and to use a middle class ideology from this newspaper, and to cultivate a sense of inclusion. Additionally the image of a stereotypally attractive young women will be appealing to certain audience members.
A section of the newspaper is devoted to art and culture. This meets the needs of a middle class audience who stereotypically will be attracted to and involved in the art scene, which provides them with a sense of inclusion and identity.
The Pele front page story functions as the main image, yet is not the headline story. This demonstrates the news values of the newspaper, and suggests that football, while important, is not as important to a middle vclass audience.
he older target audience would remember Pele’s glory years, and would be able to identify with this story.
The page three story (which usually focusses on soft and informal news) covers women’s cricket, which indicates a middle class target audience. Additionally the representation of a middle class elderly woman provides the audience with an escapist mode of address, and also the pleasure of relatability.
An entire page is dedicated to covid, which indicates that the needs of the target audience are being met by providing informative and up to date news coverage. This article cultivates the ideological perspective that covid is a significant issue. The article encourages the audience to agree with the preferred reading, and to akncowledge that covid is still a worry. The educated target audience will be aware of the dangers of a worldwide panic, and beng older will be more likely to be affected by it.
The headline article takes a very anti union and anti striker ideology to to promote and cultivate conservative ideologies to a conservative audience.This not only reinforces the ideology of the audience, it also provides them the need of validation of their own anti union ideology, but also ensures profit for the newspaper as it encourages a pre-sold audienx to continue to engage with it, therefore ensuring profit and power
The vivian westwood article focuses on punk fashion with traditionally is an anti-conservative ideology. This provides the audience with the gratification of escapism, as it presents them an ideology that they are unfamiliar. However, it also reionforces a cpaitalist ideology, by celebrating Westwood for her financial and entrepreneurial achievements. Additionally, she is a notable public figure famous from her work in the 1970s which fulfils a nostalgic need of the target audience.
An article on page three presents an informative yet gender critical outlook on the representation of transgender people in sport, which will meet the needs of the target audience by cultivating and reinforcing their already conservative ideology
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