The Mirror

Question 1

When was the mirror established?

Answer 1

1903

Question 2

Who does it target?

Answer 2

predominantly working-class readership and adopts a traditional left-wing political stance

Question 3

Who is rg rival paper and in what way?

Answer 3

The Sun - right wing

Question 4

What is the slogan and what des it suggest?

Answer 4

The heart of britain. Suggests stands up for the ordinary person and is a key part of the social and cultural life of the UK

Question 5

What is the context of the set edition?

Answer 5

critical of the way the Conservative government has been handling the Coronavirus pandemic

Question 6

What is the political context?

Answer 6

scandal surrounding allegations regarding parties and social gatherings held by the Conservative Party at a time when its leaders had enforced lock down

Question 7

When was the story first reported by the Mirror and what did that lead to?

Answer 7

November 2021 and alleged that during the lockdown over the Christmas period in 2020, parties had been held at Downing Street, some of which had been attended by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This led to an inquiry being undertaken by senior civil servant Sue Gray, the results of which were published in January 2022.

Question 8

What are the origins of the term partygate?

Answer 8

The suffix ‘gate’ was first used in the ‘Watergate’ scandal in the US in the early 1970s which resulted in the resignation of President Richard Nixon. It has since been used to suggest a far-reaching scandal, usually related to politics or government

Question 9

What s being reported?

Answer 9

it was reported that Sue Gray had revealed that the Metropolitan Police were investigating several possible breaches of lockdown by No 10 and Boris Johnson had
refused calls for his resignation

Question 10

How does it fit with the Mirror’s stance?

Answer 10

The choice to focus on this particular story also reinforces a common social theme for this newspaper – ‘us VS them’, the idea that the government has issued rules that they feel they do not have to abide by

Question 11

What is the plug?

Answer 11

The newspaper’s plug also reflects a cultural context, advertising a feature on the Platinum Jubilee and reinforcing the cultural heritage of the UK

Question 12

What does the layout connote?

Answer 12

The layout and design are conventional of this style of newspaper, which is generally image led rather than text led. The masthead is bold and recognisable as a red top, tabloid newspaper. The typography chosen is strong, and the name of the newspaper conveys messages about how the paper may ‘hold a mirror’ up to what is taking place in society

Question 13

How is the headline dramatic?

Answer 13

The headline is brief and dramatic, typical of the paper’s style, and uses emotive language such as ‘Zero Shame’. The strapline ‘Gray Report Fallout’ sums up the context of the story with negative connotations.

Question 14

How is the image significant?

Answer 14

The image of Boris Johnson dominates the front page and anchors the headline – he appears unconcerned. The newspaper reinforces this viewpoint with the inclusion of the caption ‘I’M NOT GOING’ suggesting his failure to take responsibility for what has happened. The caption accompanying the image of the Labour leader Keir Starmer is ‘Crushing’, reinforcing the left-wing stance of the newspaper.

Question 15

How is the language emotive?

Answer 15

Boris Johnson labelled as ‘shameless’

Question 16

How is the mode of address direct?

Answer 16

The mode of address is direct, using colloquialisms such as ‘cops’ and ‘lockdown
bashes’ to engage with the target readership.

Question 17

Describe the layout of the double page spread

Answer 17

busy and eyecatching;
it incorporates a range of different newspaper features including the editorial, a letter, personal direct quotations, a cartoon, and large images, as well as the central story.
It is relatively unusual to have all these features on the same page, suggesting the story’s importance

Question 18

What is used to connote the political allegiance of the paper?

Answer 18

The subheading, pull quote and Kier Starmer’s name are also in a red palette, connoting the political allegiance of the newspaper

Question 19

How is the double page spread emotive?

Answer 19

The headline is large and emotive echoing the front-page headline with the repetition of the word ‘shame’ conveying the values and beliefs of the newspaper and its opinion of what has happened

Question 20

How are the images dramatic and emotive?

Answer 20

The central images are emotive and dramatic, juxtaposing the scene from the hospital ward with one of the prime minister smirking, looking furtive and holding a glass of wine. The selection of these particular images further reinforces the point that members of the government broke the rules while people were suffering

Question 21

What is the tone of the piece?

Answer 21

This tone is supported using direct quotations from ordinary people (who this newspaper represents) telling their own tragic Covid-19 stories. The pull quotes in this section, emphasised using large quotation marks, use language that conveys the feeling of the newspaper: ‘continues to lie,’, ‘a mockery’.

Question 22

How does the labguage used villify the govt?

Answer 22

The language used across the double page spread vilifies the government and their actions.
Binary opposites are used to reinforce the point – ‘quiet dignity’ set against ‘lying bombast’.
The editorial ‘The Voice of The Mirror’ is more opinion led, which can be seen in the stand first: Boris Johnson is prepared to destroy everything and everybody around him to survive at all
costs.’

Question 23

What symbols are used to convey meaning?

Answer 23

the colour red and the codes of clothing, including the nurses’ protective clothing and the wine glass, convey meaning in relation to the story

Question 24

How is the image of Bris used to represent events?

Answer 24

The choice of the image of Boris Johnson focuses on his code of expression
and the anchor of the caption.
He has been criticised previously for his ‘smirk’ and here the newspaper has selected an image with this expression, reinforced by the caption ‘I’m Not Going’ which connotes his seemingly uncaring attitude. This selection and combination of images and text conveys the attitudes and beliefs of the newspaper whose political allegiance of left wing is suggested by the more active image of Kier Starmer and the anchor ‘Crushing’, refering to the way he dealth with Johnson in the Commons

Question 25

How is a negative representation of the events constructed?

Answer 25

The sub-heading uses numbers to highlight the misdemeanours that Johnson was said to be involved in along with the evidence to support this – ‘300 pictures handed over’. The inclusion of the ellipsis constructs a dramatic pause before ‘and still,’, suggesting the weight of evidence against him should be enough but he does not
take responsibility.
The combination of images, layout and language choices construct a negative representation of the event and the prime minister’s role in it.

Question 26

How is the story personalised?

Answer 26

The use of the direct quotations and the inclusion of individual stories and
representations of ordinary people personalisesthe story by making it about the experiences of individuals, rather than a complicated political progress involving subjects distanced from the newspaper’s readers.
This technique is used by the news media to help audiences build
emotional engagement with political stories and is a technique particularly used by tabloid newspapers.
open letter from Kier Starmer, ‘Dear Mirror Readers,’, which strikes a personal tone and reinforces the values and beliefs of the newspaper and the expectations of the readers

Question 27

How are Johnson and Starmer juxtaposed?

Answer 27

The choice of the image of Boris Johnson, accompanied by the anchor ‘Rule
Breaker’, directly contrasts with the image from the hospital and that of the ‘voice of reason’ Kier Starmer with the anchor: ‘he should do the decent thing and resign.’ This constructs representation of the issue from a left-wing perspective

Question 28

How is the language and mode of address negative?

Answer 28

‘disgraced country’s highest office,’, ‘fiasco’ and ‘stain on our great nation’. The use of ‘our’ encourages the audience to join with the newspaper in condemning these actions.

Question 29

How doe the Daily Mirror use stereotypical representation?

Answer 29

The Daily Mirror uses stereotypical representations of the prime minister and other members of the government to convey its left-wing agenda and to raise awareness of inequalities in society.
the inequalities in power are highlighted – those in power have been seen to flout the rules they themselves set, whilst the ‘ordinary person’ conformed to the restrictions and suffered as a result

Question 30

How are images and clothes used in representation?

Answer 30

. Codes of clothing are used to convey messages about
social standing.
Similarly, the sign of 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

Question 31

How have sales fallen?

Answer 31

The average daily sales in February 2022 were 329,485 (www.abc.org.uk/data),
down 9%

Question 32

What is the most circulated paper?

Answer 32

the most circulated newspaper is the Metro free paper at 1,066,327, almost double its circulation in 2021.

Question 33

WHat is the online presence?

Answer 33

‘Mirror Online’ and establishing a presence on social media sites. However, this technology has given the newspaper the ability to produce up-to-the-minute national and global news and to update this content regularly.

Question 34

Describe the web site

Answer 34

The website produces accessible content whereby it breaks down the key stories into ‘bitesize’ chunks, for example ‘6 Key Details in new Tory schools
plan…’. This reinforces the Daily Mirror’s brand claim to being the ‘Intelligent Tabloid’. There are also opinion pieces by journalists and free-lance
commentators which reinforce the left-wing agenda of the newspaper – ‘Kevin Maguire: Squeezing Everybody and plunging 1.3 million into absolute poverty, is a political choice’ (28/03/2022

Question 35

Who is the publisher of the Mirror? What do you know about them?

Answer 35

Reach plc is the largest commercial, national and regional publisher in the UK.
The group publishes more than 130 national and local media brands from the Daily Mirror, the Daily Record, the Daily Express, to local newspapers such as the Manchester
Evening News and Nottingham Post. Reach plc states that they are: ‘Champions, Campaigners and Changemakers ……At Reach, we have a clear core purpose: speaking up and shining a light on the truth

Question 36

What regulatory body is the Mirrow part of?

Answer 36

a regulatory frameworkknown as the Independent Press Standards
Organisation (IPSO) – an independent body which is not backed by the government and is fully funded by the industry itself. This is a regulatory body that maintains press standards but is anti-Leveson in its approach

Question 37

Why is the industry regulated?

Answer 37

This pressure arose after the phone hacking scandal and
subsequent Leveson enquiry into the industry. There is an underlying issue of protecting citizens from harmful material while ensuring choice and press freedom.

Question 38

How has Reach expanded into digital media?

Answer 38

Reach plc is one of the UK’s largest newspaper publishers and has become a horizontally integrated company with a wide range of titles in order to maximise audiences and minimise risks.
Rather than seeing digital media as a threat, the company has embraced its digital expansion and now offers digital marketing as well as digital classifieds to generate
additional income. They have also introduced a subscription of £6.99 for a tablet edition of the newspaper with an introductory offer of two free months.

Question 39

Who is the target Mirror sudience?

Answer 39

, according to ABC data, is predominantly C2DE, over 35 and are working class Labour supporters

Question 40

How do they target this audience?

Answer 40

Other pages in the newspaper and on digital platforms will reinforce the ideology of the
newspaper including the editorial ‘The Voice of the Mirror’, the letters pages and opinion pieces.
Readers will be made to feel part of the newspaper’s community and that the stories and articles reflect their views. This audience will accept the preferred reading of the newspaper.

Question 41

How has the Mirror adapted to survive?

Answer 41

In May 2021, it became the UK’s number one website with 32 million monthly
readers across all digital platforms (www.mirror.co.uk). The digital platforms also enable the readers to interact with the newspaper and encourages them to post comments on the stories featured.
Distributing the publication across digital platforms which allow it to be interactive and immediate will also appeal to younger audience

Question 42

How does Gerbner’s cultivation theory apply?

Answer 42

Audience exposure to repeated patterns of representation, such as that of Brexit, the economy or of the government in power by newspapers may shape and influence their views and opinions of the world around them. Gerbner went on to say that this
is not like ‘hypodermic model’ but rather depends on what the audience already believes.
Newspapers function as opinion leaders and mediate the news for the readers with their political allegiance in mind. These views will be cultivated and reinforced by the newspaper and its content. The messages, such as that of the government being corrupt and elitist, need to resonate with an established belief in the audience of working-class left-wing men and women, such as that of Boris Johnson not being fit to govern.

Question 43

How have they enabled the rise of the prosumer?

Answer 43

This is because they have enabled the rise of the prosumer who can create their own
content submitting stories as a citizen journalist, offering an immediate perspective on news stories.