Daily Mirror

• The Daily Mirror is a British newspaper that was first published in 1903. It was initially created as a newspaper for women but later redesigned to appeal to a broader audience. Owned by Reach plc, the Daily Mirror was once the most popular tabloid in the UK. However, like other daily newspapers, its sales have been declining over the years.
• The Daily Mirror has a left-wing political stance. It reinforces this through opinion pieces by journalists and freelance commentators who align with the newspaper. For example, an opinion piece titled "Kevin Maguire: Squeezing Everybody and plunging 1.3 million into absolute poverty, is a political choice" reflects the newspaper's political views.
• The newspaper's slogan, "Heart of Britain," suggests that the Daily Mirror sees itself as a publication that cares about what is happening to the people of the UK. It aims to be a mirror of society, reflecting the issues and concerns that affect its target audience.
• • Visual Codes: The layout and design of the front page are conventional for this style of newspaper. It is image-led rather than text-led, with the masthead being bold and recognizable as a red top, tabloid newspaper. The choice of typography is strong, conveying messages about how the paper may 'hold a mirror' up to what is happening in society.
• • Written Language: The headline on the front page is brief and dramatic, typical of the paper's style. It uses emotive language such as 'Zero Shame'. The sub-headings provide more information and employ numbers for dramatic impact.
• • Mode of Address: The Daily Mirror uses direct language and colloquialisms such as 'cops' and 'lockdown bashes' to engage with its target readership.
• • Dominant Image: The image of BJ dominates the front page and anchors the headline. He appears unconcerned, reinforcing this viewpoint with the caption 'I'M NOT GOING', suggesting his failure to take responsibility.
• • Language Used: The language used to describe BJ is emotive and reflects the values/attitudes of the newspaper. He is referred to as 'shameless', a negative representation.
• • Contrasting Representation: The image of BJ is directly contrasted with the image of Keir Starmer, who is described as 'Crushing'. This reinforces the left-wing stance of the paper.
• • The company's media brands cover a diverse range of topics and cater to different segments of the population, allowing Reach plc to have a broad impact on public opinion and discourse.
• According to ABC data, the Daily Mirror had an average daily sales of 329,485 in February 2022, down 9%. However, it is important to note that these figures only represent print sales. The online readership of the Daily Mirror may be significantly higher, as more people are consuming news digitally. The target audience of the Daily Mirror, according to ABC data, is predominantly C2DE, over 35, and working-class Labour supporters.
• Engaging Headlines and Images: The front page of a newspaper plays a crucial role in attracting an audience. Engaging headlines, emotive language, and impactful images to grab readers' attention and convey its views on particular stories. These choices can influence how readers perceive and engage with the news.
• Community and Preferred Reading: By catering to its target audience, the Daily Mirror creates a sense of community among its readers. This can lead to a preferred reading, where readers accept and resonate with the newspaper's representation of events.
• On the front page, the newspaper represents Boris Johnson in a negative light. The choice of image, with Johnson's seemingly uncaring expression and the caption "I'm Not Going," reinforces the perception of him as someone who fails to take responsibility. The language used, such as referring to him as "shameless," further reinforces this negative representation.
• The Daily Mirror's double page spread focuses on different responses to "Partygate" and constructs a negative representation of the government, particularly the PM. By including direct quotations, personal stories, and representations of ordinary people, the newspaper personalizes the story and allows its readers to emotionally engage with it. This technique is commonly used by tabloid newspapers to shape audience perception.
• The Daily Mirror's coverage of events and issues aligns with cultivation theory, as it aims to cultivate a specific perception of reality in its audience. By consistently presenting negative representations of Boris Johnson and the government, the newspaper influences its readers' views and reinforces their existing beliefs.
• • The image features two main subjects: Boris Johnson and Keir Stammer. Boris is shown with a glass of fizz in his hand, while Keir appears serious and concerned. Boris dominates the image, occupying more space and drawing the viewer's attention. The positioning of the subjects is intentional, with Boris on the left and Keir on the right. This placement creates a visual contrast between the two figures.
• • Johnson holding champagne connotes a party or celebration. This symbol suggests that Johnson is not taking the issue seriously and is irresponsible. The champagne is juxtaposed against the image of the critical care ward, indicating a stark contrast between Johnson's actions and the seriousness of the situation. Starmer's serious expression and posture convey a sense of responsibility and concern. This aligns with the left perspective of the newspaper, portraying Starmer as the "voice of reason."
• • Johnson is positioned prominently in the image, anchoring the headline "Zero Shame." This positioning emphasizes his role, and suggests that he is unapologetic for his actions. The caption accompanying Johnson's image, "I'M NOT GOING," reinforces the perception that he is refusing to take responsibility. The caption accompanying Starmer's image, "Crushing," supports the left stance of the paper and portrays Starmer as someone who can hold Johnson accountable.
• • The visual composition, with Johnson dominating the image, suggests a focus on his actions and behavior. Johnson's portrayal with champagne conveys privilege and disregard for the seriousness of the issue, aligning with the left perspective that those in power are flouting the rules.
• • In the case of this double page spread, the focus is on a range of different responses to ‘Partygate’, all of which construct a negative representation of the government and pm. This mediation of the story is to be expected from a left-wing publication.
• • The use of the direct quotations and the inclusion of individual stories and representations of ordinary people personalises the story by making it about the experiences of individuals, rather than a complicated political progress involving subjects distanced from the newspaper’s readers.

  • This technique is used by the news media to help audiences build emotional engagement with political stories and is a technique particularly used by tabloid newspapers
• A similar technique is used through the inclusion of the open letter from Kier Starmer, ‘Dear Mirror Readers,’ which strikes a personal tone and reinforces the values and beliefs of the newspaper and the expectations of the readers.
• The selection and combination of images contributes to the construction of the representations of the issue and the people involved. The choice of the image of Boris Johnson, accompanied by the anchor ‘Rule Breaker’, directly contrasts with the image from the hospital and that of the ‘voice of reason’ Kier Starmer with the anchor:

  ‘he should do the decent thing and resign.’ This constructs a representation of the issue from a left-wing perspective.
• The language and mode of address used also contributes to the construction of representations; the use of emotive and declamatory language constructs a negative representation of Boris Johnson – ‘disgraced country’s highest office,’, ‘fiasco’ and ‘stain on our great nation’.

  • The use of ‘our’ encourages the audience to join with the newspaper in condemning these actions