NEWS TIMED ASSESSMENT [LOCKDOWN]
The representation of migrant groups is consistent across both texts, but are presented to the audience in differing ways. Gilroy’s ideas surrounding postcolonial melancholia are clearly shown through representations present in text A. The othering of the Windrush generation is evidenced through the phrasing of the headline of them as ‘migrants’ rather than the ‘citizens’ that they have been for over sixty years that is used in the Guardian. This reinforces the idea that they are second-class citizens and criminalized through the negative stigma surrounding that title, appeasing the Telegraph’s primary demographic of readers by underlying a belief of white superiority in a western civilization like Gilroy suggests. Conversely, the Guardian’s representation of them as ‘citizens’ enables a subtle integration of multicultural societies into the mainstream in order to place more focus on the governmental mistake, shifting blame to the conservative government and sympathy to those affected.
Both sources also represent the Prime Minister and her subsequent government in different ways in order to target specific demographics. The absence of May and the conservative government in Source A’s predominant cover story generalizes their ‘apology’ in order to push the blame away from the conservative government. Furthermore, the use of the verb ‘granted’ suggests that whoever is apologizing is doing them a favor, creating an ‘us and them’ mentality through vagueness as Gilroy suggests, unlike how Theresa May personally ‘apologizes’ as we see it framed in the Guardian, which is almost personal, directing their readers straight to the problem – the conservative government. The reframing of May in the secondary story in the Telegraph furthers this ideology of heroicness as ‘Labour MPs side’ with her on another war in which immigration plays a big part, giving her the power over liberals along with further criminalization of immigration as a while and furthering the us and them mentality surrounding the Windrush generation.
Both source A and B are examples of broadsheet news sources, however source B is an example of an online Guardian story. To an extent, I feel like both sources stick to the conventions of print and online news, however there are some exceptions.
Conventionally for broadsheet newspapers, there is a harder news agenda with a formal language register, and for the most part, the Telegraph is a perfect example of this. The focus on an immigration story has a great pull towards politics and geography, further sampling international news with mentions of the commonwealth and the war in Syria. The extensive amount of copy across the cover follows conventions of a more educated audience demographic, which is furthered by the high reading level and sophisticated tone it is written in.
However, the imagery, though not related to any of the cover stories, dominated the page, furthermore relating to celebrity gossip, a subject more typical of the tabloid genre. The story surrounding this is however a great example of conservative values within celebrity culture, the focus on Ant McPartlin’s failures almost creating an undertone suggesting a North-South Divide in the UK, supporting conservative values of a south-supremacy. S, although it does slightly challenge the conventions of the broadsheet genre, it does fit the values of the paper and its audience.
The Guardian also doesn’t necessarily challenge the conventions of its genre to a great extent. The use of audio-visual elements like a video encourages interactivity along with a Q&A section, with makes sure engagement is up through the convergence of technologies and interactive elements in order to keep the audience entertained as well as informed, a common convention of online news. Furthermore the use of Social media links encourages social interaction and engagement beyond the news site and opens the topics up for discussion.
However, there is a lack of live updates and citizen journalism, which is a big convention concerning online news. The article shown could just as easily be printed in the paper with no need to be updated over time, and surrounding subtitles suggest a greater focus on past news rather than anything as it’s happening. This however does keep the focus on the main article and doesn’t draw people away from the news at hand, which is a common issue across interactive platforms.
Overall, both sources rarely challenge their respective genres to a large extent, but when conventions are subverted, it is done successfully to achieve goals of focusing their audience on a specific issue.
EXPLAIN HOW POLITICAL CONTEXTS INFLUENCE INDIVIDUAL PRODUCERS WITHIN THE NEWSPAPER INDUSTRY [10]
Within the UK, we have an oligopolistic news system, with three companies owning 80% of the market. The press underpins democracy and has a hold on the powerful, giving opportunities but also placing limits on the control exercised by owners of newspapers. Direct interference with political affairs can destroy the credibility of newspapers as the free press can’t be seen as simply organs of propaganda, therefore there is a fine line to walk.
Editors are a form of indirect power that an individual owner holds over the paper, even if they never interfere with editorial processes. The Daily Mail is owned by DMGT and Viscount Rothermere and has a strongly consistent political viewpoint reflecting that of Rothermere himself due to his individual hold over the paper and it’s editor. The Guardian however has an editor appointed by its owner, the Scott Trust (a Charity, who solely strives for quality journalism and liberal viewpoints.)
Though political contexts influence papers, I believe that papers also have a hold over the political climate as they’re being produced, giving them a great deal of power just by which party they support. With Rothermere owning the I and the Metro along with the Daily Mail, he has a great hold on promoting conservative values that will benefit him in the long run as a wealthy member of the upper class. Whereas, the Guardian would earn greater benefits if a liberal government was appointed, being owned by a charity in itself, but without a hold on multiple outlets and the top three companies dominating 80% of the industry with conservative values, there isn’t as much room to grow.
So, Individual owners and producers are very much effected by political contexts, but they also effect the political climate themselves.
6/10 - really strong knowledge and understanding of ownership Kate. Perhaps you could have made more of exactly how those ownership/regulation factors impact upon the two case study papers directly in terms of published examples.
EVALUATE THE USEFULNESS OF BANDURA'S MEDIA EFFECTS THEORY IN HOW CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL CIRCUMSTANCES CAN EFFECT AUDIENCE INTERPRETATIONS OF NEW STORIES. [10]
Bandura’s theory suggests that media can directly influence audiences. When we watch media products, we will learn behavior from them. He believes that the media can have a direct influence on the values and behaviors of audience members. The media can also have an indirect influence through social networks.
Newspapers deliver strong messages consistently in order to cement ideologies into the minds of passive and consistent readers. This can be seen in source A through the consistent but sometimes subtly creating of division in the Telegraph between migrants and people born in the UK, furthering racial division and extending a nationalist ideology. Culturally their audience see these migrants as outsiders through historical divide that is not being left behind in order to benefit a white-supremacy angle. These have been fed to us consistently over time by the media in order the ensure a positive reception of the stories they promote almost like a hypodermic needle like bandura suggests, offering a ‘correct’ interpretation.
However, this theory is flawed in many ways and ineffective in the climate of interactive news. Through social media and the encouragement of interaction in online papers, we have a majorly active predominant audience rising in millennial and Gen-Z culture, eliminating the effectiveness of consistently feeding in ideologies. Though the media can have indirect influence through Social media, there is a clear pattern of original thoughts and feelings evidenced through the Black Lives Matter protests in June 2020, subverting the pro-cop agenda of major news outlets and the campaign for Bidens election across TikTok, going against these major conservative outlets and succeeding.
7/10 - Another solid answer in tight time conditions! You make some really interesting points and well chosen examples
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