times Flashcards
1
Q
Product context
A
- The times is a British national “quality” paper first published in 1785
- This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, after Theresa May had encountered another Commons defeat over her Brexit proposals.
- The Times is famous for having a range of journalists with varied political viewpoints which allows the newspaper to offer a more neutral political stance on Brexit negotiations.
2
Q
Political context:
A
- On 23rd June 2016, citizens of the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU). This was nicknamed ‘Brexit’.
- The vote was very close with 51.9% voting leave and 48.1% voting remain.
- The controversies from the campaign continued even after the vote.
- On the date this edition of the Mirror was published, MPs had voted against the deal she had negotiated with the EU.
- Withdrawing from the EU with ‘no deal’ could have catastrophic consequences on trade, immigration, healthcare etc., affecting all UK citizens.
3
Q
Cultural context:
A
- Horse racing meets like Ascot and Cheltenham are an iconic part of British culture, often associated with the upper classes.
4
Q
Front page:
A
- The central image is a close-up photograph of Theresa May looking distraught. She has a pained facial expression and dark rings under her eyes which denote high emotions and possible lack of sleep.
- The headline anchors this by making the defeat of her Brexit proposals into something more personal and emotional than political and factual.
- This fulfils the news value of ‘personalisation’ where politicians become characters we may empathise with.
- The ‘In the news’ stories at the bottom of the page also supply some global context for the main story: financial, environmental and travel news are topics The Times’ audience is interested in.
- Most of the print is black on white, which connotes the seriousness of the content. The fashion feature ‘puff box’ at the top of the page is in a paler, pastel colour that is more feminine and also less serious.
- The strapline ‘Britain’s Most Trusted Newspaper’ draws on the Times’ long history and reputation as a quality brand that will give readers a range of viewpoints on serious issues. The heraldic style logo reinforces this.
5
Q
theory
semiotics, saussure
A
- The photograph appears to be taken through a car window (there is a shadow of a rear-view mirror in the foreground and the ‘Driven To Despair’ is a pun).
- The connotation of this kind of shot is that they are un-posed and often private situations that the photographer has managed to capture.
- The framing suggests a candour to the photo. This emphasises the emotional and personalised framing for the story.
6
Q
theory
narrative propp
A
- This style takes a complex political debate (described in factual detail in the body of the text) and turns into a dramatic incident, an emotional incident for a ‘character’ (May).
7
Q
How representations are constructed through a process of selection and combination:
A
- The photograph could be interpreted as representing May as a stereotypical woman: emotional, vulnerable and easily upset.
- However, the ‘candid ‘framing of the photo also suggests she is allowing her feelings to show in private, whereas in public she is more controlled.
- Female politicians often find it challenging to show they are both strong, capable leaders and caring and warm human beings. If they come across as too ‘masculine’ female politicians can lose supporters, something male politicians don’t seem to worry about.
- The language of the headline also focuses on May’s emotions rather than her political achievements
- This can juxtapose to covers of male politicians to which are constructed as strong, confident, defiant- as a stereotypical masculine
8
Q
theory
feminist, zoonen
A
- Van Zoonen suggested that women are often portrayed as sexualised, weak or vulnerable in the media.
- Though Theresa May is shown as vulnerable, the image used also suggests defiance in the face of adversity; she is not sexualised
- May is a high profile, very powerful woman who is often portrayed battling against privileged male politicians.
- This kind of woman is rarely seen in the media, especially within current affairs, and Van Zoonen would suggest that despite her politics many women would aspire to her status. The personal tone of the headline and photo build this sense of intimacy
9
Q
industry context
A
- The Times was first published in 1785 and is part of the Times newspaper group which is a subsidiary of News UK.
- News UK is a British-based, American owned newspaper publisher, and a subsidiary of the American mass media conglomerate News Corp.
- News Corp is a newly formed company, which concentrates on newspapers and publishing.
- The Times is the only national quality newspaper to show year-on-year growth for print sales (407, 566 daily average).
- The Times is part of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) - an independent body which is not backed by the Government and is fully funded by the industry itself.
10
Q
theory
power & media, curran and seaton
A
- The Times is part of a horizontally and vertically integrated company and subsequently a large conglomerate.
- Being part of a huge press organisation could limit or inhibit creativity and journalists’ freedom. Rupert Murdoch is often accused of controlling his newspaper content and editorial teams which would support this point.
- However, it could also be suggested that by having a more diverse pattern of ownership, a more pluralistic approach could create conditions for more varied and adventurous media productions
11
Q
How are audiences grouped and categorised?
A
- The Times’ target audience, according to NRS and ABC data is predominantly ABC1, over 35 and has a liberal/right wing political stance. This well-educated and middle-class audience take an interest in global affairs and can understand detailed political reporting
12
Q
How do audiences interpret the product?
A
- The Brexit chaos edition will target this group as it takes a fairly neutral approach which will allow readers to construct their own opinion and negotiate their own response to the Outcome of the Commons vote.
- The close-up photo of May’s despairing face may build empathy and a sense of identification: the audience feels similar to May about the tedious Brexit process (uses & grat)
13
Q
theory
cultivation theory, gerbner
A
- Exposure to repeated patterns of representation (of May struggling to reach a deal, of Brexit chaos generally) by newspapers can shape and influence an audience’s views and opinions.
- However, garner states that these messages (e.g., politicians are ineffectual) need to resonate with an established belief (e.g., Brexit is a chaotic mess) in the audience (e.g. middle class, middle-right wing).
14
Q
theory
reception, hall
A
The Times has portrayed May and the vote in a way that encourages a negotiated reading. By focusing on the emotional state of May and the general despair at the progress of negotiations, it is asking readers to reflect on their own emotional response to the situation.
15
Q
theory
end of audience, shirky
A
- The concept of audience members as passive consumers is no longer tenable in the age of the internet with the rise of the prosumer who can create their own content such as submitting stories and being part of forums.
- Many broadsheet newspapers like The Times have embraced this, taking popular ‘below-the-line’ (i.e. non-professional) commentators and offering them ‘above-the-line’ columns in their on-line editions
