The Times - Media Alevel

What is The Times?

The Times newspaper is a British national 'quality' newspaper was published in 1785. It is a subsidiary of News UK owned by News Corp, Rupert Murdoch's company.

When was the edition of The Times published?

This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, after Theresa May had faced a Commons defeat over her Brexit Deal.

What is The Times political allegiance?

The Times is famous for having a range of journalists with varied political viewpoints, which allows the newspaper to offer a more politically neutral stance.

What happened on the publishing day of The Times?

Parliament had just rejected the deal that she had negotiated with the EU. This meant that the UK could leave the EU with no deal and this would have been catastrophic.

What shared knowledge is assumed between the producer and the audience? (2)

Horse racing (Chelteham and Ascot) is an iconic part of British Culture often associated with the upper classes.

The contemporary audience is assumed to be familiar with codes and conventions of a broadsheet newspaper, usually has one main story, with lot's of details, then smaller headlines at the bottom.

What is the meaning behind the image of Teresa May on The Times front cover?

The central image is a close-up photograph of Teresa May looking distraught. She has a pained facial expressions which denote high-emotion and tiredness.

What is the meaning behind the headline on The Times?

The headline anchors this by making the Brexit defeat more personal and emotional than political. It fulfills the news value of personalization - where politicians become characters that we may emphathize with - the last subheading focuses on May as an individual. The language in the headline also focuses on May's emotions rather than her political achievements.

What does the 'in the news section' provide for the audience?

The 'in the news' section gives the story global context for the main story: financial, travel and environmental topics - what The Times audience are interested in.

What are the messages conveyed by the color scheme?

Black and white color scheme connotes the seriousness of the news. The fashion feature 'puff box' at the top is paler, pastel color that is more feminine and less serious.

What is the meaning conveyed by the stapline?

The strap-line 'Britain's most trusted Newspaper' draws on The Times' long history and reputation as a quality brand which will give readers a range of viewpoints. The heraldic style reinforces the seriousness and trustworthiness of The Times.

How can Semiotics - Sausurre be applied to The Times newspaper?

The photograph appears to be taken through a car window. The photograph is un-posed and shot in a private situation. The framing suggests the candor to the photo. This emphasizes the emotional and personalized framing for the story.

How is Teresa May represented in The Times newspaper?

The photograph is a stereotypical representation of a women: emotional, vulnerable and easily upset. The candid framing of the photo suggests that she is allowing her emotions in private and is more controlled in public. (consider representation of female politicians in general).

How can Van Zoonen's feminist theory be applied to The Times?

'Women are often sexualised or seen as weak or vulnerable in the media'

Though Theresa May is shown as vulnerable, the image used also suggests defiance in the face of adversity; she is not sexualised. and Van Zoonen would suggest that despite her politics many women would aspire to her status. The personal tone of the headline and photo build this sense of intimacy.

Describe the ownership of The Times.

The Times newspaper group which is subsidiary of News UK. News UK is a British-based, American-owned newspaper publisher, and a subsidiary of the American mass media conglomerate, News Corp.

Describe the history of News UK.

News UK is a newly formed which concentrates on newspapers and publishing. The company split from News Corporation due to the phone hacking scandal of 2011.

The company has demonstrated a predominantly right-wing political allegiance with The Sun newspaper backing the conservative government in recent elections. However, The Times has maintained a more neutral stance.

The group was one of the first companies in the UK to introduce an online newspaper . introduced due to the fall in print sales.

How is The Times regulated?

The Times is part of the Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO) - an independent body which is not backed by the Government and is fully funded by the industry itself. This is a regulatory body that maintains press standards but is anti-Leveson in its approach.

How can Curran Seaton's power and media industries theory be applied to The Times?

The Times is part of a horizontally and vertically integrated company, a large conglomerate. This could mean that journalists do not have creative freedom. It could also be suggested that by having a more diverse pattern of ownership, a more pluralistic approach could create conditions for more varied and adventurous media productions.

How can David Hesmondhalgh's cultural industries theory be applied to The Times newspaper?

The Times Newspaper group is part of a vertically and horizontally integrated company with a wide range of titles on offer in order to maximise audiences and minimise risks.

News Corp, the company finds itself part of a wide organisation responsible for different cultural industries. This can benefit the newspaper greatly in terms of production and promotion.

In terms of the 4cs, what is The Times' audience?

Audience is predominately ABC1, over 35 and has a liberal/right-wing political stance. Well educated middle class.

How can Stuart Hall's reception theory be applied to The Times?

The Times has portrayed May and the vote in a way that encourages a negotiated reading. By focusing on the emotional state of May and the general despair at the progress of negotiations, it is asking readers to reflect on their own emotional response to the situation.

How can George Gerbner's cultivation theory be applied to The Times?

Audiences are exposed to repeated patterns of representation by newspapers and this shape and influences their opinions. - The idea that politicians are ineffectual need to resonate with an established belief that Brexit is a chaotic mess in the middle-class, right-wing audience.

How can Clay Shirky's end of audience theory be applied to The Times?

The concept of audience members as passive consumers is no longer tenable in the age of the internet with the rise of the prosumer who can create their own content such as submitting stories and being part of forums.