Newspapers Flashcards
What are Harcup and O’Neill’s news categories?
Name left wing broadsheet newspapers
The guardian (in tabloid size)
The independent
Name left wing tabloid newspapers
The daily mirror
Name a centre broadsheet newspaper
i
Financial times
Name right wing broadsheet newspapers
The times
Daily telegraph
Name right wing tabloid newspapers
The sun
Daily Mail
Daily express
Name conventions of a broadsheet/ quality press
Tidier layout
More copy on front page
Fewer images
Serious/ hard news
Headline have smaller fonts
Some stories are complete on the front page
Headlines usually have words of multiple syllables
Any adverts are for high end products- ABC1 audience
New values- political & worldwide stories
Any celebs tend to be more established or more high brow
Name conventions of a tabloid/ popular press
Cluttered layout
Less copy on the front page
Some have red tops
Headlines have larger fonts
Often comical,less serious- puns, rhymes word play
Soft news agenda
In line with C2DE audience
Usually multi deck headline for the splash
News values- prioritise less serious stories e.g sex, crime, celebs
Headlines often contain words of single syllables
Usually only body text for the splash and a jump line- maybe 2 stories rarely 3
Sensationalises- to cause events to seem more extreme than they are
Puff
Makes something stand out, usually by putting text in a shape
Headline
Story summarised in a few words, each deck is a line
Splash
Lead story on front cover
Subheading
More detail given to the headline
Stand first
Introductory paragraph in an article, in larger or bolder type that summarises the article
Body text/ copy
The main body of the text
Jump line
Tells reader which page to turn to, to continue the story
Stand-alone
A picture story that can exist on its own or on a front page leading to a story inside
Off lead
The secondary story on the front cover
Skyline
Information panes usually at the top of the cover giving information on other stories in the paper
Kicker
More detail given to the headline, usually above the headline, spanning its width
Advert
Usually for a product which would appeal to the demographic profile of the readership
What does free press mean?
We live in a democracy- all opinions can be expressed
Anyone can set up a newspaper
Self regulated
‘ the freedom of the press is rooted in the freedom to publish in a free market’ Curran
What are Frederick s Siebert’s 4 theories of the press?
Authoritarian theory
Libertarian theory
Soviet theory
Social responsibility theory
Outline authoritarian theory
Direct government control of the mass media
Media aren’t allowed to print or broadcast anything which could undermine the established authority; any offence to the existing political values avoided
Government may punish anyone who questions the states ideology
Government is infallible/ doesn’t make mistakes
Media professionals aren’t allowed to have any independence within the media organisation
All imported media products are controlled by the state
Outline libertarian theory
Rests on the idea that the individual should be free to publish whatever they like
Attacks on the government policies are fully accepted and even encouraged
No restrictions on import or export of media messages across the national frontiers
Journalists and media professionals have full autonomy within the media organisation
Outline Soviet theory
Closely tied to communist ideology
Media organisations in the system aren’t intended to be privately owned and are to serve the interests of the working class
Both the Soviet and the authoritarian acknowledge the government are superior to the media institutions
The mass media in the Soviet model are expected to be self-regulatory with regard to the content of their messages
The Soviet theory differs from the authoritarian theory in that the media organisations have a certain responsibility to meet the wishes of their audience
Outline social responsibility theory
Media has certain obligations to society
“Informativeness, truth, accuracy, objectivity and balance “
Media as a whole is pluralised, indicating “a reflection of the diversity of society, as well as access to various points of view “
Provides an entrance to different mass media for minority groups
Journalist is accountable to his audience as well as to the government
Outline the history of press freedom
18th century American revolution
“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise there of; or abridging of freedom of speech or of the press (first amend)
After American and French revolutions, English writers argued, more full press, freedom
Freedom of expression - Human Rights Act 1998
Outline the Leveson enquiry
Millie Dowler
13 years old
Abducted 21st march 2002
Body discovered 18th September 2002
23rd June 2011, Levi Bellfield found guilty
4th July 2011- The Guardian reports that Dowler’s phone had been accessed by News of the World journalists
This became known as the Phone Hacking Scandal and unearthed many others who had their phones tampered with
What do we need to balance in regards to press freedom?
The need for press freedom
- to hold those in power to account
The need for individual rights/ freedom
- those in power should have the right to a private life
Describe Lord Leveson’s recommendations
Newspapers should continue to be self regulated- and the government should have no power over what they publish
There had to be a new press standards body created by the industry, with a new code of conduct
That body should be backed by legislation, which would create a means to ensure the regulation was independent and effective
The arrangement would provide the public with confidence that their complaints would be seriously dealt with- and ensure the press are protected from interference
Define free market capitalism
The press are able to print free from government interference
Free press is essential in a democratic society
Article 10 of the Human Rights Act means that free speech is a right given to everybody, including the press
Free speech and democracy means that the press is self regulated
What did frost do?
Compares news today with the 1960s
- far less international news today
- far fewer stories about politics today
- less about industry today
- more gossip, sport, celebrity and entertainment today
Journalist are governed by the need to sell copy
“ don’t let the facts get in the way of a good story”
What did Aristotle say?
Life is about the pursuit of happiness
The sole purpose of life is to be happy
Happiness is the ‘golden mean’
Everything in moderation
Don’t live to excess
Problem: his thinking is too idealistic
What did Kant say?
Deontologist- concerned with duty ethics
The idea that duty is to deny self and follow obligation
Identified 3 imperatives (actions):
1. Technical imperative
- the idea that you need to be skilful at your job
2. Hypothetical imperatives
- those actions that it would be sensible to take
3. Categorical imperatives
- absolute duties
- moral actions
- if a person determines it a categorical imperative not to lie, then you should never lie
Also believed that intentions are more important than the act itself
Actions are morally justifiable if they are acted out of duty rather than self interest
What did Ross say?
Deontologist- ethics of sticking to rules and obligations
Believed we are all bound by our own words and acts
I.e: if you do wrong you are duty bound to put it right to the best of your ability
If someone does you a good turn, you are duty bound to return the favour
Four theories:
1. Beneficience
- our duty to improve the lives of others
2. Justice
- our duty to see that people get what they deserve- both pleasure and punishment
3. Self improvement
- our duty to improve ourselves- intellectually and emotionally
4. Non injury
- our duty not to cause harm to others
