Newspapers (Mirror)

• When was the times first published?

  1785
• Who owns the times newspaper?

  news corp
• What year was the phone hacking scandal?

  2011
• What is the times‘ political stance?

  neuteral
• the times was one of the first papers to produce an online newspaper but also introduced a paywall which requires a subscription
• What was the regulation organisation during the phone hacking scandal?

  PCC (press complaints commission)
• What is the current regulatory organisation called?

  IPSO
• Curran and Seaton “the newspaper industry is dominated by a small number of media moguls and companies“
• Who is often blamed for controlling the times’ content and editorial teams?

  Rupert Murdoch
• Livingstone and Lunt “The times and other newspapers are facing increasing pressure to adhere to strict rules and regulations on industry practice, mainly due to the phone hacking scandal“
• What is distribution ?

  The way in which media products are advertised and delivered to the audience
• What is horizontal intergration?

  when a conglomerate owns and expands to own multiple companies within the same industry
• What is a media conglomerate?

  A company that owns numerous mass media companies in different enterprises eg. Music, social media, film etc
• Media language

  The codes and conventions used to construct media texts
• Representation


  The way in which events, issues, individuals and social groups are portrayed in media texts
• Media contexts

  The social, cultural, political and historical factors that influence media production and consumption
• The Daily Mirror

  • British daily national tabloid newspaper
  • Established in 1903
  • Targeted at a predominantly working-class readership
  • Adopts a traditional left-wing political stance
• The Daily Mirror

  One of the only newspapers that consistently supports the Labour Party and their policies
• The Daily Mirror's slogan

  The Heart of Britain
• The set edition of the Daily Mirror was published

  February 1st, 2022
• The Daily Mirror's political stance

  • As a mostly left-wing newspaper, it has been critical of the way the Conservative government has been handling the Coronavirus pandemic
• The 'Partygate' scandal

  1. Allegations regarding parties and social gatherings held by the Conservative Party at a time when its leaders had enforced strict restrictions on the people of England

  2. The story was first reported by the Daily Mirror in November 2021

  3. An inquiry was undertaken by senior civil servant Sue Gray, the results of which were published in January 2022

  4. The Metropolitan Police were investigating several possible breaches of lockdown by No 10 and Boris Johnson had refused calls for his resignation
• The suffix 'gate'


  Used to suggest a far-reaching scandal, usually related to politics or government
• The Daily Mirror

  Reflects the social and cultural contexts of the time in which it was produced
• The Daily Mirror's target readership

  Lower middle class working class
• The Daily Mirror

  Reinforces a common social theme - 'us vs them', the idea that the government has issued rules that they feel they do not have to abide by
• The Daily Mirror asserts itself as the voice of the British people in its editorial
• The Daily Mirror's plug reflects a cultural context, advertising a feature on the Platinum Jubilee and reinforcing the cultural heritage of the UK
• Front page of the Daily Mirror


  • Split between the political story and a plug promoting the Platinum Jubilee feature, with the political story taking prominence
  • Layout and design are conventional of this style of newspaper, which is generally image led rather than text led
  • Masthead is bold and recognisable as a red top, tabloid newspaper
  • Typography chosen is strong, and the tone of the newspaper conveys messages about how the paper may hold a mirror up to what is taking place in society
  • Slogan within the masthead 'Heart of Britain' suggests the role the newspaper has in society and that it cares about what is happening to the people of the UK
  • Headline is brief and dramatic, typical of the paper's style, and uses emotive language such as 'Zero Shame'
  • Sub-headings provide more information through the employment of numbers for dramatic impact
  • Image of Boris Johnson dominates the front page and anchors the headline - he appears unconcerned
  • Caption accompanying the image of Boris Johnson suggests his failure to take responsibility for what has happened
  • Caption accompanying the image of Keir Starmer is 'Crushing', reinforcing the left-wing stance of the newspaper
  • Language used is emotive and reflects the values and attitudes of the newspaper and their political allegiance
  • Mode of address is direct, using colloquialisms to engage with the target readership
• Double page spread

  • Busy and eye-catching, incorporating a range of different newspaper features including the editorial, a letter, personal direct quotations, a cartoon, and large images, as well as the central story
  • Branding of the newspaper continues on these pages with the use of the colour red linking to the 'red top' masthead
  • Headline is large and emotive echoing the front-page headline with the repetition of the word 'shame' conveying the values and beliefs of the newspaper and its opinion of what has happened
  • Central images are emotive and dramatic, juxtaposing the scene from the hospital ward with one of the prime minister smirking and looking furtive and holding a glass of wine
  • Direct quotations from ordinary people (who this newspaper represents) telling their own tragic Covid-19 stories
  • Pull quotes in this section, emphasised using large quotation marks, use language that conveys the feeling of the newspaper: 'continues to lie,', 'a mockery'
  • Language used across the double page spread vilifies the government and their actions
  • Binary opposites are used to reinforce the point - 'quiet dignity' set against 'lying bombast'
  • Editorial 'The Voice of The Mirror' is more opinion led
• The binary opposition between the government (Boris Johnson) and the people

  Feeds into the 'us vs them' ideology of the newspaper
• The newspaper pages use signs that are recognisable to audiences and convey meanings
• Representation in newspapers

  • Newspapers have access to the same stories daily but will choose how to represent events and issues in a way that reflects the values, attitudes and beliefs of the paper and their readers
  • The way in which the event/issue/social group is represented will affect the audience response
  • Newspapers are opinion leaders and will influence how audiences may respond to the issue/event
• Representation on the front page

  • Dominated by the large image of Boris Johnson, anchored by the dramatic headline and sub-headings
  • Choice of the image of Boris Johnson focuses on his code of expression and the anchor of the caption
  • Selection and combination of images and text conveys the attitudes and beliefs of the newspaper whose political allegiance of left wing is suggested by the more active image of Keir Starmer and the anchor 'Crushing'
  • Sub-heading uses numbers to highlight the misdemeanours that Johnson was said to be involved in along with the evidence to support this
• The combination of images, layout and language choices construct a negative representation of the government
• The image of Boris Johnson focuses on his code of expression and the anchor of the caption
• He has been criticised previously for his "smirk" and the newspaper has selected an image with this expression, reinforced by the caption "I'm Not Going' which commotes his seemingly uncaring attitude
• The selection and combination of images and text conveys the attitudes and beliefs of the newspaper whose political allegiance of left wing is suggested by the more active image of Kier Starmer and the anchor 'Crushing'
• The sub-heading uses numbers to highlight the wrongdoings that Johnson was said to be involved in along with the evidence to support this-300 pictures handed over
• The inclusion of the ellipsis constructs a dramatic pause before and will, suggesting the weight of evidence against him should be enough but he does not take responsibility