The Daily Mirror Section A

Question 1

Product context

Answer 1

• British daily national tabloid newspaper
• Established in 1903
• Predominantly WC readership and has a traditional left-wing reader stance
• Main competitor is The Sun
• Slogan ‘The Heart of Britain’

Question 2

Product context of text

Answer 2

• Published 1st February 2022
• Critical of the was the Conservative government have been handling the Coronavirus pandemic

Question 3

Political context

Answer 3

• This edition deals with the scandal surrounding allegations regarding parties and social gatherings held by the Conservative party
• Leaders had enforced strict restrictions that prohibited such gatherings

Question 4

Political context within the text

Answer 4

• The Daily Mirror first reported this in November 2021
• Led to an inquiry by senior civil servant Sue Gray, the results published in January 2022
• Scandal became known as ‘Partygate’
• Suffix ‘gate’ also used in 1970 ‘Watergate’ scandal
• Boris Johnson refused calls for his resignation

Question 5

Social and cultural contexts

Answer 5

• Targets a lower MC/WC readership and does so through the values of the newspaper, selection of stories and how social groups are represented
• ‘Us vs them’ (gov)
• Newspaper asserts itself as the ‘voice of the British people’
• Advertising feature on the Platinum Jubilee, reinforcing cultural heritage of the UK

Question 6

Media Language: The Front Page - Plug

Answer 6

• Promoting the Platinum Jubilee feature, with the political story taking prominence

Question 7

Media Language: The Front Page - Layout

Answer 7

• Conventional of a tabloid newspaper
• Image led rather than text led

Question 8

Media Language: The Front Page - Masthead

Answer 8

• Bold and recognisable as a red top
• Typography chosen is strong
• Name of the newspaper conveys messages about how the paper may ‘hold the mirror up’ to what is taking place in society

Question 9

Media Language: The Front Page - Slogan

Answer 9

• Within the masthead
• ‘Heart of Britain’ suggests the role the newspaper has in society
• Care about what’s happening to the people in Britain

Question 10

Media Language: The Front Page - Headline

Answer 10

• Brief and dramatic
• Typical of the paper’s style
• Uses emotive language (i.e. ‘Zero Shame’)

Question 11

Media Language: The Front Page - Strapline

Answer 11

• ‘Gray Report Fallout’ sums up the context of the story with negative connotations

Question 12

Media Language: The Front Page - Anchors

Answer 12

• Image of Boris Johnson dominates the front page and anchors the headline
• He appears unconcerned

Question 13

Media Language: The Front Page - Caption

Answer 13

• ‘I’M NOT GOING’ suggests his failure to take responsibility of what’s happened
• Caption accompanying the image of the Labour leader Kier Starmer reinforces the left-wing stance of the newspaper

Question 14

Media Language: The Front Page - Language

Answer 14

• Emotive and reflects the values and attitudes of the newspapers
• Shows their political allegiance, i.e. referring to Boris Johnson as ‘shameless’

Question 15

Media Language: The Front Page - Mode of address

Answer 15

• Direct
• Uses colloquialism such as ‘cops’ and ‘lockdown bashes’
• To engage with target readership

Question 16

Media Language: Double Page Spread

Answer 16

• Busy and eye-catching
• Incorporates a range of different newspaper features (i.e. editorial, letter, personal direct quotations. cartoon, large images and central story)
• Unusual to have all these features on the same page
• Suggests the story’s importance

Question 17

Media Language: Double Page Spread - Branding

Answer 17

• Branding of the newspaper continues onto these pages with the use of colour linking

Question 18

Media Language: Double Page Spread - Colour palette

Answer 18

• Colour red linking to the ‘red top’ masthead’
• Subheading, Pull Quote and Kier Starmer’s name also in red
• Connotes the political allegiance of the newspaper

Question 19

Media Language: Double Page Spread - Headline

Answer 19

• Large and emotive
• Echoing the front-page headline with repetition of the word ‘shame’
• Conveys values and beliefs of the newspaper and opinion of what’s happened

Question 20

Media Language: Double Page Spread - Central Images

Answer 20

• Emotive and dramatic
• Juxtaposing the scene from the hospital ward with one of PM smirking, looking furtive and holding a glass of wine
• Selection of these images further reinforces the point that MPs broke rules while people were suffering

Question 21

Media Language: Double Page Spread - Tone

Answer 21

• Supported by direct quotations from ordinary people telling their own tragic Coronavirus stories
• Pull quotes in this section emphasised using large quotation marks
• Use language that conveys the feeling of the newspaper (i.e. ‘continues to lie’, ‘mockery’)

Question 22

Media Language: Double Page Spread - Language

Answer 22

• Vilifies the government and their actions
• Binary opposites used (i.e. ‘quiet dignity’ set against ‘lying bombast’)
• Conveys the feeling of the newspaper
• The editorial ‘Voice of the Mirror’ is more opinion led

Question 23

Structuralism, Claude Levi-Strauss

Answer 23

• Binary Opposition between the government, Boris Johnson and ‘the people’
• Feeds into the ‘us vs them’ ideology of populism
• Signs that are recognisable to audiences and connote meanings

Question 24

How representations are constructed through selection and combination: The Front Page

Answer 24

• Large image of Boris Johnson anchored by the dramatic headline and sub-headings
• Focuses on his code of expression and the anchor of the caption
• Conveys the attitudes and beliefs of the newspaper whose political allegiance of left wing is suggested by more active image of Kier Starmer and the anchor ‘crushing’
• Uses numbers to highlight misdemeanours
• Inclusion of ellipsis constructs a dramatic pause
• Negative representation of the event and the PM’s role in it

Question 25

Representation of event: The Front Page - Response of readers

Answer 25

• Accept the newspaper’s view as it reinforces their own ideas about the government

Question 26

How representations are constructed through selection and combination: Double Page Spread

Answer 26

• Focuses on different responses to ‘Partygate’
• All construct a negative representation of the government
• Use of direct quotations and the inclusion of individual stories and representations of ordinary people personalises the story
• Build emotional engagement
• Selection and combination of images represents the issue and the people involved

Question 27

Representation of event: Double Page Spread - language and mode of address

Answer 27

• Contributes to construction of representations
• Use of emotive and declamatory language constructs a negative representation of Boris Johnson
• Use of ‘our’ encourages the audience to join with the newspaper in condemning these actions

Question 28

Representation theory, Stuart Hall

Answer 28

• Uses stereotypical representations of the PM and MPs to convey its left wing agenda and raise awareness of inequalities in society
• Representation of the event constructed through language of recognisable signs
• Codes of clothing used to convey messages about social standings
• The glass of fizz in the hand of Boris Johnson connotes a party and is juxtaposed against the signs that suggest the ‘Critical care’ ward, leading the audience to draw negative conclusions about his behaviour.