The Daily Mirror published a front page on November 10th, 2016 in opposition to Donald Trump's election victory. The front page features an image of a weeping Statue of Liberty with dark clouds in the background and the headline "What have they done?". Inside articles liken Trump's win to Brexit and suggest it was driven by white, middle-class voters concerned with immigration and job losses. Representations of Trump and his supporters aim to portray them as predominantly white males. Theoretical perspectives are used to analyze how the newspaper constructs meaning through signs and representations to transmit particular ideological messages to readers.

1. Case Study
Media Language and Representation
The Daily Mirror –
The American Election 10th November 2016
Discuss the connotations of the following words/phrases:
Utopia Liberty Statue
Blue Skies Black Clouds
Head in hands

2. Torch?
Raised arm to hold it high?
Connotations
Robes?
Tablet inscribed with
an important date?
Pedestal?
Crown – 7 points?

3. Torch?
Raised arm to hold it high?
Connotations
Robes?
Tablet inscribed with
an important date?
Pedestal?
Crown – 7 points?
Raised = to act as a beacon – to
light the way
Robes = Represents
‘Libertas’, the Roman
Goddess of freedom
An important monument –
something for people to
respect, admire or look up to...
Crown – 7 points of the crown =
7 seas and 7 continents a
symbol of universal
JULY IV MDCCLXXVI (4th July
1776). America’s independence
day. The tablet represents the
Declaration signed on that
date.
Torch = Light & Hope
Built by Gustave Eiffel – given
to America by France.
Therefore the statute itself is an
immigrant.

4. Product Context
• National mid market Tabloid Newspaper established
in 1903 and aimed at a predominantly working class
readership, it follows a traditionally left wing
political stance.
• The Daily Mirror demonstrated an unequivocally
oppositional response to the result and views
Trump as ill suited to such a high position of power.

5. • 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 USA.

6. • 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 USA.

7. Analysis of Media Language
• 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.

8. The contemporary audience could be assumed
to be familiar with the codes and conventions
of tabloid newspapers and the sensationalised
mode of address that these newspapers present.

9. In pairs
discuss this
front page

10. • The use of American iconography in the subverted
image of the Statue of Liberty draws the reader’s
attention to the front page of the newspaper. Here
the statue is seen to be weeping into her hands
which creates meaning for the audience and is
intended to be read as connoting despair.

11. The background of the image contains dark clouds
which can be interpreted as foreshadowing future
events. The Daily Mirror has juxtaposed the image
with the bold headline “What have they done?”
which positions the American voters as to blame for
Trump’s victory.

12. • The red skyline connotes an apocalyptic setting and
the shadowy figures in the background could
foreshadow bad things to come, or (linking to the
apocalyptic, dystopian setting) it could be likened to
zombies - suggesting things that were dead and
buried will again come out to haunt us (if you
consider Trump’s own values & beliefs).

13. • The bold headline at the top of the page “It’s
President Trump…” with the use of ellipsis again
suggests foreshadowing.

14. UK event
• What UK event happened at a similar time to the
American Election that had a similar opposing
response from different newspapers?
• BREXIT – Referendum on 23rd June

16. • AMERICA’S BREXIT: This article
likens the US election outcome to
Brexit by highlighting immigration
concerns and loss of jobs as
central to voters’ decision to vote
for Trump.

20. • The juxtaposition of images of Trump’s supporters
rejoicing alongside a breakdown of voting according
to demographics highlights the newspaper’s
viewpoint that the election was “a whitelash” (used
in a subheading) and that white, middle class voters
were responsible for Trump’s win.

21. Theoretical perspectives:
Semiotics – Roland Barthes
The use of American iconography throughout
the front page (subverted image of the Statue of
Liberty) and the colours of the American flag in the
article will have immediate cultural significance
for the reader who will be able to create meaning
in the associations they have with these signs

22. Theoretical perspectives:
Structuralism - Levi-Strauss
The use of the pronoun ‘They’ in the front page
headline “What have they done?” creates an
immediate binary opposition of ‘us and them’ and
lays blame on the American people for Trump’s win
and creates the suggestion that this has a global
impact and therefore particular ideological
significance.

23. Representation
In the article there are several images used of
Trump supporters that all demonstrate similar
patriotic codes of dress (red, white and blue
clothing dominates with one man in a stars and
stripes suit). Their body language suggests
jubilation and clear support with one woman
wearing boxing gloves that could connote her
being willing to ‘battle’ to win.

24. Selected images
• Trump and Clinton are both featured here in smaller
articles with Clinton being represented as calm and
composed while Trump looks aggressive and
determined.

25. • Of the eleven people featured on these pages all are
white and are predominantly male which is
indicative of the newspaper’s suggestion that
Trump’s supporters fall into this demographic. This
subsequently marginalises other social groups.

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

27. Theoretical perspectives:
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…’.