The document provides information about two British newspapers, The Times and The Daily Mirror, to analyze in regards to media language, representation, industries, audiences and contexts. It discusses analyzing unseen front pages and considering the papers' target audiences. Key concepts are highlighted like news values, representation, audience reception theories and theorists like Barthes, Levi-Strauss and Gilroy. Key exam questions are provided to assess understanding of how the papers communicate through language and represent America with consideration of social and cultural influences on their production and targeting of audiences.

1. NEWSPAPERS
Component 1 Sections A & B
Focus Areas
• Section A
• Media language
• Representation
• Media contexts
• Section B
• Media industries
• Audiences
• Media contexts
on A
You will need to study the front and
back pages of The Times and the
front page and linked article in The
Daily Mirror
You will need to study a complete
edition for each newspaper (plus
selected pages from each of their
websites)

2. Learners will develop the ability to…
• analyse critically and compare how media products, including
products outside the commercial mainstream, construct and
communicate meanings through the interaction of media
language and audience response
• use a range of complex theories of media studies and use
specialist subject specific terminology appropriately in a
developed way
• debate key questions relating to the social, cultural, political
and economic role of the media through discursive writing
• construct and develop a sustained line of reasoning which is
coherent, relevant, substantiated and logically structured in
an extended response.

3. Media Language
Theoretical Framework
Media Language Media Forms
How the different modes and language
associated with different media forms
communicate multiple meanings
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers
How the combination of elements of
media language influence meaning
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers
How developing technologies affect
media language
Music video
Newspapers
The codes and conventions of media
forms and products, including the
processes through which media language
develops as genre
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers

4. Media Language
Theoretical Framework
Media Language Media Forms
The processes through which meanings
are established through intertextuality
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers
How audiences respond to and interpret
the above aspects of media language
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers
The significance of the varieties of ways
intertextuality can be used in the media
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers
The way media language incorporates
viewpoints and ideologies
Advertising & marketing
Music video
Newspapers

5. In the exam
Section A: Analysing Media Language and Representation
(45 marks)
One question (media language) will require analysis of an
unseen text – this may either be an advert, music video or
newspaper front pages.
The other question (representation) is based on an unseen
text and will require comparison to one of the texts your
have studied – this may be either an advert, music video or
newspaper front page.
One of these questions is likely to be audio-visual.

6. Section B: Understanding Media
Industries and Audiences (45 marks)
This section will assess knowledge and understanding of media
industries, audiences and media contexts in relation to any of the
forms studied for this section: advertising & marketing, film,
newspapers, radio and video games.
There will be two questions:
• Question 3 will be a stepped question assessing knowledge and
understanding of media industries in relation to one form
studied.
• Question 4 will be a stepped question assessing knowledge and
understanding of audiences in relation to a different media
form from that assessed in question one.

9. Newspapers:The Times and The Daily
Mirror
You will develop knowledge and understanding of the
two newspapers as evolving media products in terms
of the relevant newspaper industry and audience
issues they illustrate.
In order to develop this awareness, you will consider
one complete print edition of each newspaper
chosen by me and selected key pages from each
newspaper's website, including the homepage and
at least one other page.

10. Masthead
the newspaper's name, often in traditional gothic
lettering. It may not have changed for many years so
it's the easiest way to identify a newspaper. An
important part of branding – semantic codes of the
name can be identified.
Slogan
a 'catchphrase' summing up the newspaper's
philosophy or unique selling point
“All The News That's Fit To Print”—The New York Times
'Puffs' or ‘blurbs’
colour bands that aim to attract readers to additional
stories inside – usually more light hearted to broaden
the audience base
Headlines
the largest typeface on the page for the most
important stories. Popular newspaper employ
colloquialism and puns with quality newspapers being
more formal
Newspaperconventions

11. Strapline
in smaller typeface, above or below headline
that explain more about the story
Local School Rocked by Series Of Explosions
Standfirst
Block of text that introduces the story and offers
initial content
By-line
journalist's name & details, often includes a
photo
By Clark Kent, Special Correspondent
Standalone
A picture story used on the cover to offer visual
engagement
Central Image
Usually a dramatic picture filling most of the
cover, anchorage text/caption usually close by
to offer context

12. News in brief (NIB) / side
bars
Smaller facts or articles in a list / column
positioned at the side or bottom of the paper
Pull Quotes
Interesting quotes from the article extracted and
written in larger font to make it stand out
“I really like ice cream when it’s hot”
Jump Line
Follows the teaser headline on the front page
encouraging readers to buy and read on.
Adverts
Newspapers may included adverts and offer on
the cover – depending on the type – which will
appeal to the audience
‘Turn to page 6’

13. Visual Elements
White space
Area on the newspaper that has no text, image or advert is left blank
Margins and gutters
Lines to prevent text overlapping , newspapers have clear set areas of text, image, title
Frames
Shapes outlining the parts of text such as stories or columns, to make them visually separate
Columns
Newspapers always use columns when producing covers – it is the conventional layout
Serif Font – Italic style font
Sans serif Font – Plain font type

14. News Values
Ideology

15. Threshold
Unexpectedness
Negativity
Elite persons/places
Unambiguous
Personalisation
Proximity
Continuity/currency
The bigger the impact and reach of the story
An event that is a shock or out of the ordinary
Bad news is more interesting ‘if it bleeds, it leads’
Stories about important people and powerful nations
Stories that are easy to understand and for papers to report on
Stories that include human interest – ‘real’ people
Stories that are closer to home are more likely to be included
Stories that are already in the news continue to run and are updated

17. The Times – American Election (10th
Nov 2016)
Focus Areas
Section A
• Media language
• Representation
Section B
• Media industries
• Audiences
• Media contexts

18. Component 1 Section A
Media Language and Representation

19. Product Context
• The Times newspaper is a British national ‘quality’
newspaper first published in 1785.
• The Times has been published by Times Newspapers
since 1981 a subsidiary of News UK, wholly owned
by News Corp, Rupert Murdoch’s company

20. This edition was published on
the 10th November 2016
following the unprecedented
high profile American election
campaign which was eventually
won by Republican Donald
Trump, a 70 year old billionaire
famous for appearing on reality
TV show The Apprentice.

21. • 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 Trump’s victory.

22. WHAT IS THE TERM?
A term applied to the editing and filtering process
where decisions are made to let some information
‘pass through’ to the receiver (audience) and other
information remains barred.
GATEKEEPING

23. SECTION A – ANALYSING MEDIA
LANGUAGE AND REPRESENTATION
Media Language - Cultural Context
• Donald Trump achieved one of the most
improbable political victories in modern US history,
despite a series of controversies exposed during the
election campaign, his extreme policies that drew
criticism from both sides of the political spectrum, a
record of racist and sexist behaviour, and a lack of
political experience.

24. • The contemporary audience can be assumed to be
familiar with the codes and conventions of
newspaper front pages and the mode of address
that these newspapers present to their readers.

25. NEWS VALUES
In 1965 some media researchers analysed international news
stories to find out what kind of stories came top of the news
‘agenda’ worldwide. Their findings led to them creating a list of
‘news values’ – a kind of scoring system. A story that scores highly
on each news value is very likely to make the front page, or the
start of a TV news bulletin.
It is not just down to news values that decides which stories come
top of the news agenda: journalists and news editors draw on their
own experience to decide what should be deemed the most
important, or what should come top.
Different news organisations have their own system of setting a
news agenda: what one newspaper will put on the front page is not
necessarily what another paper will put on the front page.

26. In pairs discuss the annotations
you have made to this image

27. The Times chose to use an image across both the
front and back pages of Trump celebrating his
victory against a backdrop of the American flag.
This use of American iconography establishes
the cultural context of the story and connotes
patriotism. Trump and Mike Pence, the Vice
President, are positioned in a medium close up
shot on either side of the frame with Trump in the
foreground.

28. Codes of dress connote a
business approach with both
men dressed in black suits but
wearing red and blue ties
which again reflect American
iconography. The body
language of the two men
demonstrates an emotive
response with Pence
applauding Trump and the
president clenching his right
fist in celebration.

29. The copy on the front cover is in white like the
masthead and simply states ‘The New World: Donald
Trump sends shockwaves around the Globe’. This
statement is powerful but maintains a neutral
approach which encourages readers to establish their
own viewpoint. The use of a quote by Trump on the
back page again suggests a neutral stance but could
be interpreted as offering readers an insight into
Trump’s character and need for acceptance.

30. Theoretical perspectives: Semiotics –
Roland Barthes
The use of American iconography throughout the
front and back pages and the use of the American
flag as a backdrop will have immediate cultural
significance for the reader who will be able to create
meaning in the associations they have with these
signs.

31. Theoretical perspectives:
Structuralism - Levi–Strauss
The use of the headline ‘The New World’ positioned
over Trump’s jacket invites readers to question what
the impact of Trump’s presidency may be, which is
reiterated through the use of the subheading
“Donald Trump sends shockwaves around the Globe’.
His body language suggests determination and
jubilation.

32. Representation
1. Who are the gatekeepers?
2. What ideologies are being presented?
Consider how representations are constructed
through a process of selection and combination.

33. Both Trump and Pence represent the stereotypical,
white, middle class, male politician and their strong
Christian, conservative values were used throughout
the election campaign to encourage the American
public to vote Republican.

34. Both Trump and Pence are dressed in
tailored business suits which represent
them as business like and conservative
in their appearance. They are both
wearing American flag badges on their
lapels which is symbolic of their
patriotism and commitment to their
cause. The use of coloured ties (blue
and red) is symbolic of the American
flag and draws attention to the men.
Their body language and facial
expression connote determination and
a serious approach.

35. Theoretical perspectives:
Representation – Stuart Hall
The representation of Trump and his Vice
President are constructed, using media language
to create meaning for the audience. The use
of these ‘signs’ by the newspaper suggest that
Trump and his team belong to a specific cultural
group of predominantly white, middle class men.
This use of representation transmits ideas
to the reader about inequalities of power and
the subordination of certain social groups.

36. AUDIENCE RECEPTION
Anchorage is a technique where by the choice of
written text, commentary, mise en scene, camera
angle or soundtrack can direct the audience
towards a certain meaning.
This is also known as a PREFERED READING
(Stuart Hall).
A NEGOTIATED READING is when the
audience understands what message the
producer is trying create through their
representation, however, the audience uses their
own common sense in light of their knowledge
and experience and decides whether to accept
it..
An OPPOSITIONAL READING is when you
realise what a message a media representation
wants to you to have and then interpreting it in a
completely different way.

37. KEY THEORIST:
PAUL GILROY
The idea that colonial discourses
continue to inform contemporary
attitudes to race and ethnicity in
the postcolonial era.
The idea that civilisation
constructs racial hierarchies and
sets up binary oppositions based
on notions of ‘otherness’.
In After Empire, Gilroy (2004)
identified that there are often
‘hostile responses to strangers
and settlers’. So much so, that
‘incomers may be unwanted
and feared…’.

38. What other contextual factors are
significant (consider Brexit, US
presidency campaign)?
How are the ideological values of
the newspaper being represented?
Audience readings: Preferred:
Negotiated reading?
Oppositional?
How is the audience being targeted?
Other relevant media theory (semiotics, binary oppositions…)

39. KEY QUESTIONS
How does The Mirror use media language to communicate
meaning (refer to the cover and double page spread)? (10)
How is America represented? (25)
Explain how social and cultural contexts influence newspaper
production, using The Daily Mirror as an example. (10)
Explain how The Daily Mirror targets its audience in this
edition. (10)