Newspaper Revision

Feb 2018 Modified Practice Paper

Compare the ideologies conveyed through the representations in this front page of The Times and the set edition of the Mirror you have studied with Boris Johnson on the front page

In your answer, you must:

• consider how representations convey ideologies
• consider the similarities and differences in the ideologies conveyed
• make judgements and draw conclusions about how far social and cultural contexts affect the representations. [30]

• knee jerk reaction
• the newspapers present completely contrasting representations, that also depict contrasting ideologies

DAC - Definition, Argument, Contexts

Representation refers to the ways in which a producer represents a person, issue or event using media language to encode their own ideologies. Therefore representations can be used to persuade an audience to believe the dominant ideology of the producer. In this essay, I shall argue that two completely different and contrasting ideologies are constructed through these newspapers. To explore this idea, I shall use the examples of the Daily Mirror, a working-class, left leaning tabloid newspaper published by Reach PLC, and The Daily Telegraph, a right-wing broadsheet newspaper targeting a more middle class audience with a higher level of education

Paragraph - main image

• MES of messy hair constructs an ideology of Johnson as a slacker, who is not taking his highly important job seriously
• this representation is further anchored by his smug, tired facial expression, which constructs a representation of an irresponsible middle aged man
• the MES of Johnson's slouched shoulders further reinforce this representation
• constructed through a midshot, Johnson presents a powerful representation to the target audience, who are positioned to accept the preferred reading that Johnson does not feel guilty for his enormous incompetence
• furthermore, the enormous size of Johnson on the front page not only symbolically represents his power, but also his complete lack of responsibility
• Stuart Hall argues that stereotypes are used by powerful people, in this case Mirror Journalists, in order to simplify complex political ideologies
• the working class target audience of The Mirror will identify with this simple and straightforward representation, and therefore agree with the political ideology of the newspaper
• this ensures that audiences will continue to read the newspaper, and will continue to identify with the dominant ideological position

• However, the Daily Telegraph presents a radically different ideological perspective of the Tory Party through the selection of the main image

Paragraph 2 - lexis, headline, captions

Paragraph 3 - non-headline stories and soft news

Media Terms

• Liesbet Van Zoonen
• Stuart Hall
• David Gauntlett
• bell hooks
• Judith Butler
• masthead
• by-line
• subheading
• typography
• nodes
• hegemony
• mise-en-scene
• codes
• conventions
• anchorage
• lexis
• high-key lighting
• hard news
• soft news
• stereotypes
• semiotics
• columns
• gytters
• main image
• front page
• copy
• journalists
• skyline
• cost
• barcode
• propoganda
• audience manipulation
• working class
• tabloid
• tories