Newspapers: The Times CSP Case Study

Language

1)

The main story on the front cover of the Times CSP edition is about the MPs request for an investigation into the election test as Jeremy Corbyn fails. This would appeal to Times readers as the Times is very pro-Conservative and against Labour. Due to this seeing an article about Labour's failure Times readers may be quite thrilled with the outcome as they are Pro-Conservatives meaning they are expected to be against Labour.

2)
The main stories on the inside pages of the Times CSP edition (5 May 2018) are:
"Results show that voters want hard Brexit, ministers tell May"
"Comeback starts here says Cable after Lib Dem gains"
"Birmingham remains red despite scandals"
"Analysis"
"Corbyn blamed for loss of Jewish support"
"UKIP chef's positive spin: We're like the Black Death"

3)
On the Time's front page the balance between images, headlines and copy is highly concentrated with copy which heavily contrasts the majority of headlines and images that are in the Daily Mirror. This almost shows the difference in how the audiences have been educated as picture books are more associated with children which emphasises the fact that the Daily Mirror uses less advanced people who may not have been educated.

4)
Of Galtung and Ruge's News Values I believe that Elite nations and people, amplitude, immediacy and surprise can be applied to the front cover. The MPs, celebrities and England as a country are part of the Elite nations and people news value. The amplitude of Corbyn's failure for the election test is obviously quite a big thing for many people Labour supporter or not.

5)
A close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggests that the Time's political beliefs are very Pro-Conservatives which is supported by more Upper Middle Class audience which is the target audience of the Times. In order to appropriately link the newspaper with the political beliefs even the extra content on the newspaper is aimed at a more older and Upper Middle Class audience which wouldn't really appeal to a working class audience.

Audience
1)
The main readership demographic for the Times newspaper is overwhelmingly ABC1 social class especially Middle Class and Upper Middle Class. Additionally. a majority of it is read by people over 65 with it being 37% of the readership. However, the Times is making an effort to aim at a younger audience and it is being relatively successful in doing so as 83% of the readership is made up of those whom are 35+. (Source: NRS)

2)
The Times front page stories appeal to the Times audience well as it seems as though they keep in mind their target audience and what they are interested in. The country house hotels is a perfect example of this as older people would find it to be something enjoyable that they can do even more so if they are Middle Class or Upper Middle Class. The story about Sir Paul McCartney would also appeal to their older audience as they must have known him from when the Beatles were at peak time which is part of Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications Theory: Personal Relationships. As they are trying to aim at younger audiences the Kay Burley interview is a great choice as it shows a strong and confident woman which subverts a lot of female stereotypes which is what we expect from the media today.

3)
The election coverage might be enjoyable to Times readers because it emphasises Labour's defeat and to an audience that supports the Conservatives and is against Labour, that is a very positive thing for them. Additionally, the fact that they have very specifically selected the word 'inquest' almost makes it seem as though the Labour party or Jeremy Corbyn himself has committed a crime which isn't the case. However, to the Times readers they won't look very deeply into it and will simply rejoice in this negativity of the Labour party.

4)
Following Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory, a reader might enjoy the Times due to the Surveillance it provides through the Information they receive from news about many different topics, in this case that would be: politics; local elections; Father of daughters; Kay Burley; Features; Recipes; BBQ.

5)
The fact that Times readers are over 55 years old which is actually reflected in the CSP edition. The main image is about Sir Paul McCartney from the Beatles which would've really appealed to the current over 55 year olds as they probably listened to the Beatles during their peak time. This however may not appeal to younger audiences as many may not be able to recognise them considering the significant change in music over the years. Additionally, the country houses would greatly appeal to those over 55 who are retired/pensioners and have time to go to places such as that.

Representation:
1)
On the front page of the Times newspaper the Labour party has been represented as failures and almost criminal-like. This is shown by the fact that there was the use of the word 'inquest' which makes it seem as though they've committed a crime which isn't actually the case but even so it creates a sense of negativity around the Labour party. The fact that they failed the election poll was also clearly stated to present them as being unsuccessful in the things they do which would sit well with their Pro-Conservatives audience.

2)
In the Times newspaper the Conservative party has been represented as being successful and optimistic while also being a bit disapproving at the same time. This is shown by the election test article in which they mentioned that the Conservatives were 'the main beneficiaries from the almost total collapse of Ukip'. The fact that the word 'beneficiaries' has been used here makes it seem like the Conservatives are trustworthy and respectable. However, it is made apparent that although the Times do support the Conservatives they don't actually support Theresa May. This is shown by how often Boris Johnson is mentioned and the fact that they've used such a joke-like photo of her which is almost embarrassing,

3)
In the Times gender stereotypes are both reinforced and subverted, with Kay Burley gender stereotypes are subverted as we see a strong female woman rather than a damsel in distress/scantily clad woman. Stereotypes are also reinforced as it almost seems as though the Times does not support Theresa May as she is a woman and would prefer Boris Johnson, a man as the leader. This suggests that they want a man in a position of dominance indicating that they don't see women fit for a role in power.

4)
The Times reinforce British Social and Cultural stereotypes through the use of the pug, kicker and sidebar stories emphasising the increase in healthy eating and in overall lifestyle in Britain. This also links to middle class life choices as people with the disposable income have more control and more chance to change their diet.

5)
The page are constructed to encourage the audience to take a negative view of the Labour party by not only making it the main story but using language to make the party itself seem more corrupted. The word 'inquest' is the perfect suggestion of this and paired with the word 'fails' simply makes them seem kind of useless.

Industries:
1)
The Times is owned by Rupert Murdoch who also owns The Sun and 24% of the market share in UK newspapers being worth $19 billion.

2)
In 2019 the Time's circulation was 376,000 which is actually a significant decrease compared to the amount they were selling back in the 1990s which was in fact about 800,000.

3)
The Times have reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet by not only creating a online version of their newspaper but also by creating a paywall so that their readers can subscribe and pay if they want to read the content.

4)
IPSO stands for the Independent Press Standards Organisation and was the replacement for the PCC (Press Complaints Commission). It is a voluntary regulator for British printed newspapers and magazines meaning that journalists can essentially publish whatever they want.

5)
Some people want stronger regulation of British newspapers as journalists can even say things that are false along with things with grammatical errors. Even when it comes to amending these mistakes it takes a few months and the correction usually comes in a small box not corresponding to the size of the original article. In order for these mistakes to not be made a stronger regulation will be needed.

December Paper 2 PPE: Learner Response

1)
Total = 67 = Grade 8

WWW:
Wow! This is phenomenal and shows we absolutely need to be aiming for those top levels. Your engagement with the questions and relevant media debates is just superb. Keep it up! 

EBI:
The challenge now is to break into the top level (17-20) in the 20-mark questions through depth of analysis, range of examples and the synoptic element in Q5. Do the Grade 9 extension work as revision too!

2)
On a scale of 1-10 I would say that I am currently on a 6. I did some revision and preparation for the exam but I feel as though I could have done a lot more.

3)
In Question 2 I could've made the point that both April and Susan both live in single adult households and being seen to challenge parental authority. There is also the point of Susan being a lone teenager in an adult world not being able to make decisions for herself unlike April. Finally, I could have mentioned the fact that they are 50 years apart and yet they still show some similarities with them being highly intelligent and dominant characters.

4)
For the 20 mark essays I think that I will have to aim to time myself better with each question in order to write one more paragraph for the three 20 markers to make up for any points that could help me to attain a higher mark. I also think that especially for they synoptic questions I should aim to talk about a lot more CSPs and go into more depth when relating it to the question. Planning could also help me to know exactly what I'm writing rather than thinking while I'm writing.

5)
For Question 5 I also could have talked about the Kim Kardashian and Galaxy advert CSPs emphasising the fact that traditional media is definitely what helps to make a celebrity.

Newspapers: Daily Mirror CSP Case Study

Language:
1)
Masthead: The title block of the newspaper.
Incentive: Special offer or voucher.
Pug: Something to catch reader's eye.
Splash Head: The lead story. 
Slogan: Sums up ethos of newspaper.
Dateline: The date the newspaper was published.
Kicker: Story at top of paper to draw interest in context.
Byline: Gives the name of article writer.
Standfirst: Introductory paragraph usually in bold.

2)
A copy of the Daily Mirror costs £1.20.

3)
The main stories on the CSP edition of the Daily Mirror included a Coronation Street actor Michael Le Vell being arrested by the police over an argument.

4)
The choice of news story on the CSP front page is typical of a tabloid newspaper as it features soft news being more into the 'showbiz gossip' which is to be expected of a tabloid newspaper.

5)
On the Daily Mirror front page there is a much larger concentration of headlines and images than copy which is to attract readers who just want to get the news they're interested in immediately rather than having to look through the paper to find out something they want to know. 

Audience:
1)
The target audience for the Daily Mirror ranges from ages 35-65 year although it can even go beyond this.

2)
The Mirror front page story appeals to the Daily Mirror audience due to the fact that it is based on Michael Le Vell referred to as "Corrie's Kev" on the front page. Coronation Street is watched by an older audience and is more working class which perfectly corresponds to the demographics of the Daily Mirror readers. Due to this the likeliness of the Daily Mirror readers watching Coronation street is very high and so it will appeal greatly to them.

3)
Applying Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory I believe that readers may enjoy the Daily Mirror due to the wide range of audience pleasures it provides. It gives Information as the newspaper (both online and on paper) provide the latest news that the audience wants to know in order to stay entertained which somewhat trails onto the audience pleasure of Entertainment. There is also Personal Identity as the Newspapers targets the certain area that it is based on and so it'll allow people to know what's happening in their area. Finally, you could argue that Personal Relationships is also a small factor in the Daily Mirror as it might involve someone from a show that the audience may watch and so they may feel as though they know them more due to seeing them in those shows.

4)
Print newspapers are generally read by older audiences as the newspaper industry has also transformed into a digital form of media mostly utilised by younger people. It is highly unlikely for any young person to pick up a newspaper even if it's free as they can easily read it on their mobile phones instead. Sometimes, the content of print newspapers can also be specifically aimed at older people with the topics covered which young people won't be very interested in therefore they won't read it.

5)
The 'Back from the Red' local election on the double page spread is constructed to appeal to Daily Mirror readers as the newspaper itself supports Labour. This is likely to mean that the readers are also Labour supporters and so seeing a photo of Theresa May with a somewhat laughable expression on her face ought to make the readers feel quite positively. Especially as not too far away from that image there is a smiling Jeremy Corbyn who appears to be more than happy with the results.

Representation:
1)
The Daily Mirror presents the Conservative Party and its MPs as being negative and unprofessional which is to be expected since the Daily Mirror is pro-labour meaning they'd most likely be against the Conservatives. This is shown by the fact that they mentioned the fact that in the article they mentioned the fact that a councillor was suspended last year for a racist tweet which makes them look significantly bad.

2)
The Daily Mirror represents the Labour Party and its MPs as with a positive outlook as Jeremy Corbyn was quite content with the results for the poll even stating that it was going to get even better. This strongly indicates the enthusiasm of the Labour party.

3)
Jeremy Corbyn is represented as being the ideal political leader due to the fact that he looks at things with positivity and hope for the future meaning that he will work hard for the future. Theresa May however is represented as being a mediocre political leader as the image of her was not at all flattering and they even said that she 'gloated'. A political leader that acts like this is not at all be wanted by the people.

4)
The Daily Mirror included a discussion about a Conservative councillor suspended for racism because it makes it seem as though the Conservatives condone of racism in their party which makes them look incredibly bad to their supporters and to other parties.

5)
The Daily Mirror represents celebrity and the royal family in different ways from the front cover. It represents celebrities as being negative as it decided to make the story about Michael Le Vell the main story along with a bad image of him as the main image in order to make it seem as though he was in a great amount of trouble despite the fact that he was let go. The royals however are represented in a good way as it was said that Meghan Markle's Dad would work her down the aisle along with a well taken picture of Meghan.

Industries:
1)
The Daily Mirror is owned by Reach PLC which is Britain's largest newspaper, magazine and digital publisher.

2)
The total average circulation has significantly fallen to 500,000 a day in 2019 compared to 3 million a day in the 1990s which suggests just how greatly the growth of the internet has impacted the newspaper industry.

3)
The newspaper industry has struggled in the last 20 years as in this time the internet has only become bigger and you could say that it is an integral part of everyday life. Even the idea of reading physical books is starting to be rejected with the introduction of E-Books and so when you can get news for free quickly and easily on your mobile phone or maybe even from social media it is no wonder that the newspaper industry has struggled.

4) (Old)
IPSO stands for The Independent Press Standards Organisation and they deal with any complaints made by the public while conducting their own research into the content of newspapers, magazines and the actions of journalists.

4) (New)
The Daily Mirror has reacted to this decline in print sales and the growth of the internet by becoming more of a multi-platform landscape so that it can still appeal to audiences who may still be interested. They also provide their newspaper for free which means they are more likely to get readers who will then view adverts they may have on their site which is where their revenue comes from. This means that although there may be a decline in print sales they can still make up for it due to the fact that companies will pay them to have their adverts on the site. Additionally, they are now able to put out their content on social media which ought to be more targeted at younger or older people depending specifically on the platform as social media like Facebook is now associated with older people. This means they can provide updates of news that will really interest their audience.

5)
Continuity: This links to both of the CSP editions as the topic of Harry and Meghan had been discussed in previous news prior to this and so this this is giving updates to the audience. Additionally, talk of the election and predictions would've been made before and so this adds on to what is happening now.

Immediacy: The election took place not quite too long after the Daily Mirror printed the newspaper suggesting that they provide the news quickly. Additionally, the incident with Michael Le Vell was reported on immediately after it took place emphasising the speed of the reporters.

Familiarity: The news about Meghan and the election must have already been known about and so seeing it again on these issues makes it familiar topics for the readers. Additionally, the people on the front cover ought to be people that the readers already know.

Predictability: As we've already seen this topic in previous news the fact that it has appeared on these front covers is not at all surprising to the readers as they've already anticipated it.

Elite nations and people: Meghan herself is a celebrity and in this front page on the verge of becoming a royal while Michael Le Vell is a well known actor from Coronation Street. Additionally, both Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn were in positions of power also well known to the public making them all elite people. Finally, this is all based in England which is considered to be an elite nation.