1. Textual Analysis of Local Newspapers
You need to fully understand the conventions of newspapers - and prove to
the examiner that you do – before making your own.
You must analyse at least three local newspapers in detail, with links to
the newspaper’s website/Twitter feed etc embedded in the blog.
YOU MUST WORK ON NEWSPAPER EDITIONS, NOT THE WEBSITES OF
THE PAPERS.
For each newspaper comment on:
The reasons the stories get in the paper
• Look at http://www.rssmediastudies.co.uk/main/newsvalues/ for an
explanation of why certain things get news coverage while others don’t.
• Analyse a local newspaper to see what stories it covers and why. Use
Galtung and Ruge’s news values to create a bar chart or tally chart.
Layout
• Paper size: literally measure its dimensions
• Columns – number and width
• Percentage of page devoted to images
Journalism
• The tone used in the writing: dramatic, exaggerated, calm
• Give examples and quotations