THE MIRROR Flashcards
Who is it made by?
Reach PLC - horizontally integrated (owns multiple companies under the same level of production)
Who regulates it?
IPSO - run by the newspaper industry but some self regulation is also required.
Eg Leverson enquiry
What is the target audience?
C2DE, left-wing, predominantly female.
Political context of set edition
Criticises the parties held at downing street during the Covid lockdown.
Known as ‘partygate’, in reference to the ‘Watergate’ scandal in which Nixon resigned.
Sue Gray was in charge of the enquiry and reported that police were investigating.
Social/cultural context of set edition
C2DE readership - reflected through celebrity gossip/working class sports such as football.
print story creates an us vs them binary opposite - the government are removed from the lower classes.
Mirror assets itself as the voice of Britain ‘us’ and name of paper.
A cultural heritage is established through stories on the royals ‘platinum jubilee’
Large image of BJ on the front page
Takes up the entirety of the front page - the writing is layered on top of it. Suggests his supposed power and status.
Clothing code of suit and tie reinforce this, but also his wealth.
Unflattering image of BJ
Messy hair/paparazzi photo is him caught off guard.
Looks lazy and unprofessional.
BJ’s facial expression on front page
Smirking, looking unapologetic and ignorant towards his wrongdoings.
Large part of headline on front page
Anchors the image, in a large/bold font across width of the page “Zero shame” - suggests that he should be ashamed, but continues not to be.
Elipsis at end of headline on front page
“300 pictures handed over…and still” communicates that he is yet to have shown any remorse or apology. Shows anti-conservative ideologies.
Smaller image/side bar on front page
Of Kier Starmer in a suit - looking well put together and professional.
Contrasts BJ, showing political bias.
Use of numbers and facts on front page
“12 parties”, “3 attended by PM”, “1 in his own flat”
Help make the headline seem persuasive and shows the extent to which rules were broken, therefore the severity of the situation.
Numbers stand out in yellow font.
Lead on the front page
Political bias showing the extremely of Johnson’s actions through language such as “shameless”.
Also negative words such as “snubbed” and “brashly” generates the idea that he is arrogant and shouldn’t be respected.
Example of ‘us vs them’ binary opposite in the lead on front page
“Partying” vs “While the rest of the nation were diligently sticking to the rules”.
Empowering the audiences while posing BJ as the villain.
“Partygate” on front cover
Cultural code to president Nixon’s corruption and resignation “Watergate” - posing BJ as untrustworthy and a criminal.
Secondary image on DPS
Close up of BJ drinking champagne - contrasts working class image of NHS workers.
Represents him as simply using the luxuries of his job, instead of using his job to work hard and save lives.
Main image on DPS
Quote a graphic photo of NHS workers in full PPE, working on a patient clearly suffering from covid.
Depicts the NHS/working class efforts during the pandemic.
Article on DPS
Written by Kier Starmer - will fit with the anti-conservative viewpoints of readership. Anchors negative representations of BJ.
Uses inclusive language, feel a part of Starmer’s group. A direct mode of address “Dear Mirror readers” feel respected and acknowledged. “May of us” - man of the people.
Flatters the British public “The British people aren’t fools” - empowers the left-wing audience, they feel intelligent. Used to persuade voters support.
Secondary story on DPS
“Compare Hannah’s quiet dignity with his lying bombast”
Represents the working class (Hannah) as a quietly hard working, good, heroic individual.
Forces us to compare these struggles of loneliness with the life of BJ at the time, partying.
Intertextual reference on DPS
Conservative party played an ABBA song “The winner takes it all” at one of the parties.
Represents the selfishness and egoism of the conservative party - who take things from the public for themselves.
Small opinion pieces on DPS
From members of the public/working class - will appeal to readership due to relatability.
“It’s an insult to families who lost relatives”
“Continues to lie”
Connotes that the general public are against BJ.
Satirical political cartoon
Putin “I can’t be seen to associate with that (Boris”
Represents Boris as the worst of all political villains - links to ideas of tyranny and control.
