MS10: Newspapers & Journalism
Newspapers and journalism as media forms: print and digital, tabloid vs broadsheet, news values, regulation, and the decline and transformation of print news.
Newspapers & Journalism
Newspapers and journalism as media forms: print and digital, tabloid vs broadsheet, news values, regulation, and the decline and transformation of print news.
Key Fact: Newspapers are a key media form for informing, influencing, and reflecting public opinion. They combine written, visual, and layout codes to communicate news and comment.
Key Fact: Tabloid vs broadsheet: tabloids (The Sun, Daily Mirror) use sensational stories, large headlines, and simple language for a mass audience. Broadsheets (The Times, Guardian) use in-depth reporting, complex language, and serious analysis for an educated audience.
Key Fact: News values (Galtung and Ruge): the criteria editors use to select stories — immediacy, proximity, conflict, drama, celebrity, negativity, surprise, and size/threshold.
Key Fact: Newspaper conventions: headline, byline, lead paragraph (who, what, where, when, why), body text, photographs with captions, and page layout (above the fold).
Key Fact: Headlines use linguistic devices: puns, alliteration, emotive language, and active verbs to grab attention and communicate the angle. Tabloid headlines are larger and more sensational.
Key Fact: News construction: all news is selected and constructed — no newspaper reports everything. The choice of stories, angle, language, and images all reflect the publication's values and target audience.
Key Fact: Regulation: IPSO (Independent Press Standards Organisation) regulates most UK newspapers. IMPRESS is an alternative regulator. The Leveson Inquiry (2012) examined press ethics after phone hacking scandals.
Key Fact: Political bias: newspapers often have political leanings — The Sun and Daily Mail traditionally support the Conservatives; The Mirror supports Labour. This affects story selection and angle.
Key Fact: The decline of print: circulation has fallen dramatically as audiences shift to digital. Revenue from advertising and sales has declined, leading to job losses and consolidation.
Key Fact: Digital transformation: newspapers now publish online, use social media, and offer subscriptions. The shift to digital has changed news consumption — 24/7 updates, multimedia content, and reader interaction.
Key Fact: Citizen journalism: ordinary people report news through social media, challenging traditional journalism. This democratises news but raises questions about accuracy and verification.
Key Fact: Fake news: deliberate misinformation spread as news, often via social media. Newspapers and fact-checking organisations work to counter this, but it remains a significant challenge.
📋 Key Vocabulary and Concepts
For Newspapers & Journalism, you must know:
- Tabloid
- Broadsheet
- News values
- Headline
- Byline
- Lead paragraph
- Above the fold
- IPSO
- Leveson Inquiry
- Political bias
- Circulation
- Citizen journalism
- Fake news
- Clickbait
- Editorial
❓ Practice Questions
Q: What are Galtung and Ruge's news values?
Q: How do tabloid and broadsheet newspapers differ?
Q: Evaluate the impact of digital technology on newspapers.
✅ Answers
- News values are the criteria editors use to decide which stories to publish: immediacy (is it happening now?), proximity (is it local?), conflict (does it involve dispute?), drama (is it dramatic?), celebrity (does it involve famous people?), negativity (is it bad news?), surprise (is it unexpected?), and size/threshold (how big is the event?).
- Tabloids use sensational stories, large headlines, simple language, and focus on celebrity and human interest. Broadsheets use detailed analysis, complex language, serious topics, and longer articles. The difference reflects their target audiences: tabloids target a mass audience, broadsheets target educated professionals.
- Digital technology has enabled 24/7 news updates, multimedia content, and global reach. However, it has devastated print circulation and advertising revenue. Online news is often free, making paywalls necessary but risky. Social media both distributes and competes with newspaper content. The business model is uncertain but the need for quality journalism remains.
🎯 Exam Tips
- Always identify whether a newspaper CSP is tabloid or broadsheet and its political stance
- Use specific headline examples to analyse language and bias
- Discuss the regulatory context (IPSO, Leveson) when relevant
📝 Exam Technique
Media Studies Exam Tips — Newspapers & Journalism:
1. For Newspapers & Journalism, use media terminology precisely (e.g. connotation, denotation, representation, ideology)
2. Always analyse how media language creates meaning for specific audiences
3. Reference specific examples from set products to support your analysis
4. When evaluating Newspapers & Journalism, consider the role of media industries and cultural contexts
5. For extended answers, debate different interpretations before reaching your own
1. For Newspapers & Journalism, use media terminology precisely (e.g. connotation, denotation, representation, ideology)
2. Always analyse how media language creates meaning for specific audiences
3. Reference specific examples from set products to support your analysis
4. When evaluating Newspapers & Journalism, consider the role of media industries and cultural contexts
5. For extended answers, debate different interpretations before reaching your own
⚠️ Common Errors
✗ Newspapers are objective and unbiased. ✓ All newspapers select and construct news according to their values, target audience, and political stance. No newspaper is truly objective — the choice of stories, angle, language, and images always involves mediation.
✗ Print newspapers will disappear completely. ✓ Print circulation has declined but newspapers still exist. Some titles have growing print sales (e.g. the i newspaper), and older demographics still buy print. The future is likely a mix of print and digital rather than pure digital.
✗ IPSO is a government regulator. ✓ IPSO is a self-regulatory body set up by the newspaper industry, not a government regulator. This has been criticised as insufficiently independent, particularly after the Leveson Inquiry recommended a regulator with royal charter backing.
✍️ Model Answer
Full-Mark Response
Analyse how one of your newspaper CSPs constructs its representation of a social group. [12 marks]
Newspapers construct representations through the selection and presentation of stories, images, and language, always reflecting the publication's values and target audience. The choice of stories about a particular group reveals the newspaper's editorial stance. Tabloid newspapers often construct certain social groups through negative stereotypes — selecting stories that confirm existing prejudices and omitting positive coverage. The selection of which stories to feature is guided by Galtung and Ruge's news values, but also by the publication's political alignment and audience expectations. Headlines are a key site of representation construction. The use of emotive language, loaded adjectives, and active verbs frames how the group is perceived. Tabloid headlines often use simplistic, binary representations (us vs them) that reinforce stereotypes, while broadsheet headlines may use more nuanced language. Photographic representation is equally important. The choice of image — a mugshot versus a professional portrait, an unflattering versus a neutral expression — constructs meaning. Anchorage through captions fixes the preferred reading of the image. The mode of address also constructs representation. When newspapers address 'the British people' versus 'immigrants' or 'benefit claimants', they position some groups as belonging and others as outsiders. Overall, newspaper representations are not reflections of reality but constructions that serve the publication's commercial and ideological interests, reinforcing the worldview of their target audience.
📊 AO Deep Dive
Assessment Objective Analysis
AO1 (Knowledge & Understanding): Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of newspapers & journalism, including key concepts, theories, and media contexts.
AO2 (Analysis & Evaluation): Analyse and evaluate newspapers & journalism using relevant theories and frameworks. Consider different perspectives and reach reasoned conclusions.
AO3 (Create): Apply understanding of newspapers & journalism to practical media production, demonstrating how theoretical knowledge informs creative decisions.
📝 Exam Questions by Topic
🎬 Video Resources
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