Component 1 Section B: The Sun

Pun

A play on words

Anchorage

The words that accompany an image give the meaning associated with that image.

Broadsheet

A larger newspaper that publishes more serious news

By-line

Includes the journalist’s name, details and can often include a photo

Gatekeepers

The people responsible for deciding the most appropriate stories to appear in newspapers. They may be the owner, editor or senior journalists. They will only let the stories most appropriate for the ideology of the paper 'through the gate'.

Jump line

Includes the page number for readers to continue reading that article.

Political Bias

Where a newspaper may show support for a political party through its choice of stories, style of coverage, cartoons, etc. It may be subtle and implicit, or explicit as in the case of the tabloids on election day

Red top

A British newspaper that has its name in red at the top of the front page. Red-tops have a lot of readers, but are not considered to be as serious as other newspapers.

Splash

The story that is given the most prominence on the front page of a newspaper.

Standalone

A picture or story that doesn’t relate to the rest of the front cover

Tabloid

Refers to the dimensions of a newspaper; a tabloid is smaller and more compact in size. However, there are further connotations attached to the term and it also tends to refer to a newspaper whose content focuses on lighter news, for example celebrity gossip, sport and television

What is the date of the Sun case study?

January 16th 2019

What is the audience of the sun?

-Mostly British, working class hererosexual men, with low education and literacy levels (reading age roughly 8/9)

-Readers are usually patriotic, sometimes leaning towards xenophobic, racist and jingoistic 

-Mostly conservative (right-winged) political views

How does the sun appeal to its audiences?

-Appeals to lower literacy levels by having big images and small amounts of text.

-‘Chunked’ text in articles, as well as subheadings makes it easier for audiences to read. 

-Lots of ‘soft news’ for audiences who find harder political news less engaging

-Adverts are chosen and placed specifically to engage target audiences (e.g budget supermarkets/brands as audiences are less likely to have money) 

-Inclusion of sexualised women to appeal to heterosexual male audiences- used to be completely topless, however now this is only available online.

-Political views engaged by politically biassed articles

How is the sun applicable to Uses and Gratifications Theory (Surveillance)?

Audiences are learning about news and the world around them

How is the sun applicable to Uses and Gratifications Theory (Diversion)?

-An ‘escape’ from their everyday life in favour of a better one, competitions used to allow audiences to imagine what their life would be like if they won.

-They feature puzzles and put the answers in the next day papers so audiences are encouraged to purchase the next day.

How is the sun applicable to Uses and Gratifications Theory (Personal Identity)?

Some stories will be more relatable and familiar to audiences so they can ‘identity’ with them, and see others in the same situation

Why are fewer people buying newspapers?

-There is increasing competition from online and 24-hour television news channels

-Audiences can now access the most up to date news on their smartphones and tablets, receive alerts and select the areas of news that they wish to consume

Why is advertising important to online and printed newspapers?

-They need online presence as it can reach a wider audience than the print version of the newspaper, so it can possibly extend the audiences beyond the intended target group.

-It is their main source of funding and addition to sales

Which company owns ‘The Sun’?

News UK

What is the name of the organisation that regulates newspapers and magazines in Britain?

The Independent Press Standards Organisation (IPSO)

Has ‘The Sun Newspaper’ always been a tabloid newspaper?

No, it was established as a Broadsheet newspaper in 1964. Its original aim was to be radical and independent and not support any political party. In 1969, Murdochh changed the Sun to a tabloid and quickly overtook the daily mail as the best selling newspaper in 1978.

Which political party does The Sun newspaper support?

Conservative 

Who owns the sun newspaper?

Rupert Murdoch

What were the Suns circulation figures AO 2020?

-Daily readership of nearly 1.3 million. Estimates now suggest that this has declined significantly in the last 3 years.

What is the statistic for the suns decrease in popularity?

97% of people surveyed had heard of The Sun, but only 29% liked it.

What were the features of the case study sun newspaper?

-Theresa May’s head on a dodo

-’May’s brexit deal as dead as a dodo’

-’Brextinct’

-9.50 holidays (audiences needed to collect tokens from the newspaper then visit the suns website to redeem their holiday).

-The sun says

-Dear Deidre

What is Dear Deidre?

-The problems page where audiences will write in seeking advice.

-Deidre also has her own page on The Sun’s website, creating a clear link between the two platforms.

-However, the website simply features more letters from readers, rather than interactive content.

What is ‘The Sun Says’?

This is a typical headline used by The Sun to show their authority to an audience on a particular topic..