the daily mirror (TM) representation Flashcards
how does the headline “Brexit delay mayhem” represent Theresa mays part in the event?
focuses on her defeat and implies the whole situation is her fault- positions the audience to reject her and anchors image of her with a defeated facial expression
how is the story personalised through the representations of the event and Theresa mays involvement?
personalises a complex story by making it about the experiences of one individual rather than a complicated political progress involving hundreds of people- technique used by news media to help audiences build emotional engagement about ‘dry’ political or economic stories.
how does the visual hierarchy and size of the image of May create a negative, powerless representation?
reduces Theresa May to the smallest image on the page- sends a clear message about the way she is seen by her fellow MPs and by the newspaper’s target audience- weak and lacking authority
how and why is a complex representation of women created? (+theory)
May ‘surrenders’ and ‘Hayley’ has been physically assaulted.
images - May in mid- argument and ‘Hayley’ looking defiant - give the impression of inner strength despite the attacks they have experienced.
The Mirror has an even gender split in their audience, which may explain this more complex portrayal of women- gauntlet- role models for women
how does the article create stereotypical gender representations through its mediation?
mediated to look like Theresa is being attacked by Johnson and Corbyn and that she is surrendering as she has her hands in the air and they are pointing and look more authoritative- presents her as weak and opposed by male politicians
how could the article be representing Theresa in a more positive way? why has this been done?
her image dominates page and is much larger than the images of male MPs in small circles to show how despite the challenges she faces she still holds authority
body language- arms raised could be her keeping control of the situation- powerful
Though this seems at odds with the Mirror’s political bias, it does fit with the large female market who may admire May’s tenacity even if they don’t like her politics.
how does the paper subvert van zones feminist theory?
Van Zoonen suggested that women are often portrayed as sexualised, weak or vulnerable in the media- Though the two women featured on the Mirror’s cover are from stories that seem to portray them as vulnerable, the images used connote strength and defiance in the face of adversity; also neither are sexualised
