The Daily Mirror

• British daily national tabloid newspaper
• Adopts a traditionally left-wing political stance and is one of the only newspapers that consistently supports the Labour Party and their policies
• Their slogan 'The Heart of Britain' suggests that the newspaper stands up for the ordinary person and is a key part of the social and cultural lif of the UK
• Set edition if from February 1st 2022, criticizing the conservative government for having a party and their way of handeling the covid pandemic
• The Daily Mirror reflects the social and cultural context of the time in which it was produced through the news values of the paper, selection of stories and how particular social groups are represented
• The newspapers social theme of 'us VS them' is reinforced through the story as it highlights the idea that the government feel as though they don't have to abide by the rules the create
• In the editorial, the newspaper asserts itself as the voice of the 'British people' by using the pronoun 'us' in 'it makes us look cheap and nasty'
• The plug also reflects cultural contexts, as it advertises the Platinum Jubilee reinforcing the cultural heritage of the UK
• Owned by Reach PLC
• Regulated by the Independent Press Standard Organisation (IPSO) - meaning that it is an independent body, not backed by the government and fully funded by the industry itself
• First published in 1903 as a newspaper for women 'to act as a mirror for feminine life', but quickly redesigned to appeal to a broader audience
• Recent tech change, has largely been responsible for the downturn in print sales - responded by launching 'Mirror Online' and establishing a presence on social media platforms
• Reach plc is the largest commercial, national and regional publisher in the UK
• Curran + Seaton - Power + media industries

  Peach PLC has maintained the position in the UK market by diversifying into regional news - the diverse pattern of ownership has allowed them to create the conditions for more varied and adventurous products
• Livingstone + Lunt - Regulation


  Reach PLC (and the rest of the UK press industry) is facing pressure to adhere to strict rules and regulations on the industries practice, rising from the phone hacking scandal

  -> there's an underlying issue of protecting citizens from harmful material while ensuring choice and press freedom
• Hesmondhalgh - Cultural industries 


  Reach PLC has become a horizontally integrated company with a wide range of titles in order to maximise audiences and minimise risks.

  -> Embraces its digital expansion and offers digital marketing to generate additional income
• Predominantly C2DE, over 35 and are working class Labour supporters
• Tabloid newspaper -> attracts an audience (preferences, already readers of tabloid papers - working-class readership)
• Other pages in the newspaper and on digital platforms will reinforce the ideology of the newspaper
• Values, attitudes, beliefs and the way they represent stories can resonate with a like-minded audience/ readers who have chosen it because of its left-wing stance
• Readers will be made to feel apart of the newspaper's community and that the stories and articles reflect their views -> this audience will accept the preferred reading of the paper (Stuart Hall - reception theory)
• Digital Platform allows for interaction and encourages them to post comments on stories + articles
• Distributing the publication across digital platforms will also appeal to a younger audience
• Gerbner - Cultivation Theory 


  • Exposure to repeated patterns of representation by the newspaper may shape and influence their views and opinions of the world around them

  -> Messages of corrupt government, portrayal of Boris

  • The newspaper functions as opinion leaders and mediate the news for the readers with their political allegiance in mind
• Stuart Hall - Reception Theory


  • Producers encode ideas in their publication that are to be decoded by their readers
  • Preferred reading - same political stance + ideologies, therefore agree with the papers viewpoint
  • Negotiated reading - neutral/no political stance, just want to know what happening around the world/ Britain
  • Oppositional reading - Different political stance, therefore disagree with the messages constructed
• Clay Shirky - End of audience theory


  • Rise of prosumers, who can create their own content by submitting stories a citizen journalists, offering a new perspective on stories
  • Consumers can also actively engage and 'speak back' to the newspaper through their website (leave comments) thus giving them a voice as part of the newspaper's community
• Is known for its support of the ordinary working-class person and regularly runs stories and campaigns related social issues and inequalities
• As a left-wing publication and tabloid, the Daily Mirror will be openly critical of the Conservative government and supportive of Labour. Also raise awareness of the effect of Conservative policies on their working-class readers
• Uses stereotypical representation of the Prime Minister and other members of the government to convey its left-wing stance, and to raise awareness of inequalities in society (Stuart Hall - Representation Theory)
• Combination of images, layout and language choices (Ellipsis) construct a negative representation of the event and the Prime Ministers role in it

  Also conveys the attitudes and beliefs of the paper, whose left-wing stance is suggested by the image of Kier Starmer and the anchor of 'Crushing' referring to the way he dealt with Boris in the House of Commons
• The choice of image of Boris Johnson focuses of his expression and the anchor of the caption

  ->Criticised for his 'smirk', reinforced by the caption and headline of 'I'm not going' & 'Zero shame'
• The response of the reader to the representation of the event would be to accept the newspaper's view as it reinforces their own ideas about the government
• Split between political story + plug (Platinum Jubilee) with the political story taking prominence
• Red top - colour of Labour, political stance of the Daily Mirror
• Layout + design are conventional for this style of newspaper, which is generally image led rather then text led
• Bold + recognisable masthead as a red top, with strong typography and the name of the paper conveys messages about how the paper may 'hold up a mirror' up to what is taking place in society
• The headline is brief and dramatic, typical of the paper's style, and uses emotive language such as 'Zero shame'
• The strapline 'Fray Report Fallout' sums up the context of the story with negative connotations
• The language used is emotive and reflects the values and attitudes of the paper and their political allegiance, referring to Boris Johnson as 'Shameless'
• Direct mode of address as it uses colloquialisms like 'cops' and 'lockdown bashes' to engage with target readership