newspaper chapter 7

What Are Media Industries?

Media industries refer to the organisations and economic systems that produce media products.

can you give examples ?

ownership

profit

competition

regulation

technological change

what is owenrship and profit ?

olwnership matters because the people or companies who own media organisations often shape editorial direction.

Profit is essential because newspapers must generate revenue through sales, advertising, and digital traffic in order to survive

what is compeption and regulation

Competition is intense, particularly from online news platforms and social media, which compete for audiences.

Regulation ensures that newspapers follow ethical standards, although regulation in the UK is relatively limited compared to broadcast media.

what is technological change ?

Technological change has transformed the industry, as audiences increasingly consume news through smartphones and websites rather than printed newspapers.

what do media industries refer to ?

efer to the organisations and economic systems that produce media products.

Media products are created within economic systems.

Newspapers must survive financially in a highly competitive media environment. This means that editorial decisions are often influenced by:

• audience expectations

• advertising revenue

• digital readership

• ownership priorities

can u give an example ?

a newspaper may frame a political story differently depending on:

• its target audience

• its ideological position

• its need to attract readers.

Understanding media industries helps us explain why newspapers present the same event in different way

ownership of daily mirror

Owned by Reach PLC, one of the largest newspaper groups in the UK.

Reach PLC owns over 150 national and regional newspapers, including:

• Daily Express

• Sunday Express

• Daily Star

• many regional titles.

The Daily Mirror is not an independent newspaper. It is owned by Reach PLC, a major British media company that controls a large network of newspapers across theUK.

This ownership structure allows the company to:

• share journalists

• share editorial resources

• reduce production costs.

what is this strategy called ?

horizontal integration, where a company owns multiple media products within the same sector. This helps media companies remain profitable in an industry where print newspaper sales have been declining.

ownership of the times ?

Owned by Times Newspapers, a subsidiary of News UK, which itself is part
of Rupert Murdoch’s global media conglomerate News Corp.

The Times operates within a different ownership structure.

It is part of News UK, which is owned by News Corp, one of the largest media
conglomerates in the world. News Corp owns multiple media companies across:

• newspapers

• television

• publishing.

what does this mean ?

this global ownership gives The Times access to significant financial and technological resources, helping it maintain a strong presence in both print and digital journalism. This is a great example of Vertical intergration

comparing 2 industry models

Daily mirror the times

Taboloid newspaper broadhseet newspaper

owned by reach plc owned by news corp

free website subscription paywall

advcertising revnue subscription revenue

large readership small but wealthier readership

how do they they operate under different industry strategies. ?

The Daily Mirror relies heavily on:

• advertising revenue

• high audience numbers.

Reasoning why thats important. - This encourages
dramatic headlines and stories designed to attract
attention.

In contrast, The Times operates behind a subscription paywall, meaning readers must pay to access most of its content.

This allows the newspaper to focus more on credibility and in-depth journalism, targeting a smaller but wealthier audience.

Declining Print Circulation

rint newspaper sales have declined significantly due to the rise of online news consumption.

For example, the Daily Mirror sold approximately 329,000 copies per day in 2022, reflecting the wider decline in print journalism.

why is this happening ?

Many audiences now consume news through:

• websites

• mobile apps

• social media.

As a result, newspapers must adapt their business models to remain financially viable.

This has forced many newspapers to invest heavily in digital platforms

Digital Adaptation -The Digital Newspaper Industry

Newspapers have expanded into digital media through:

• online news websites

• social media distribution

• digital advertising

• multimedia journalism.

The Daily Mirror’s website attracts large audiences through free access and advertising revenue, while The Times uses a subscription paywall model.

how can Different newspapers respond to digital change in different ways ?

he Daily Mirror focuses on high audience numbers to
generate advertising income.

This can encourage:

• emotionally engaging headlines

• dramatic framing

• stories that are easily shared online.

In contrast, The Times focuses on subscription revenue,
which allows it to prioritise:

• credibility

• detailed analysis

• longer investigative reporting.

how does daily mirror genreate revnue ?

he Mirror’s website is free to access and relies heavily on digital advertising revenue. This means the newspaper benefits from attracting very large numbers of readers quickly.

This encourages:

• emotionally engaging headlines

• dramatic framing of stories

• shorter articles designed for rapid reading

• stories that are easily shared on social medi

how times genrate revnue ?

The Times operates behind a digital paywall, meaning readers must pay for access.Because revenue comes from subscriptions rather than advertising clicks, the newspaper focuses on:

• credibility and authority

• detailed political analysis

• longer investigative reporting

• a more formal journalistic tone

daily mrror using digital revnue ?

Daily Mirror uses a free access model online. This means readers can view articles without paying, but the
website earns money through advertising impressions.

Advertising revenue depends on large audience numbers, so the newspaper benefits when articles are widely
shared or quickly attract attention.

This economic model can encourage:

• emotionally powerful headlines

• sensational framing

• stories designed to spread easily on social media.

how time using digitial revnue ?

contrast, The Times operates a subscription model. Readers must pay to access the website.

Because revenue comes directly from readers rather than advertisers, The Times focuses on maintaining credibility and trust, which helps persuade audiences that the content is worth paying for.

As a result, the newspaper often publishes:

• longer analytical articles

• investigative reporting

• more formal journalistic language

This demonstrates how different economic models can shape the style and content of journalism

what is The Click Economy and Online News ?

Many online news organisations rely on advertising revenue, which depends on how many people visit their website.The more people who click on an article:

• the more advertisements are displayed

• the more revenue the newspaper generates.

This system is often called the click economy.

Because of this, some newspapers prioritise content that attracts large audiences quickly

diffrence between digital and traditional print copy ?

traditional print model, newspapers earned money primarily from:

• selling copies

• advertising within the printed newspaper.

However, in the digital environment, revenue is often generated through advertising impressions, meaning
newspapers are paid when readers view pages containing advertisements.

This means that more website traffic equals more advertising income.

.

what has this resulted in ?

online news platforms often compete intensely to attract attention.

One way newspapers do this is through attention-grabbing headlines and emotionally engaging stories.

can u give an example from the daily mirror ?

eadline “Zero Shame” immediately communicates outrage and encourages
readers to engage with the story.

This type of headline works well in digital environments because it:

• attracts attention quickly

• encourages social media sharing

• increases website traffic.

Therefore, economic pressures within the media industry can influence the tone and framing of news stories.

what can ownership influence ?

Editorial stance

• political viewpoints

• story selection

• tone and representation

owneship and focus of daily mirror and times ?

The Daily Mirror

Owned by Reach PLC, the Mirror traditionally supports
Labour Party policies and often criticises Conservative
governments.

Its reporting frequently focuses on:

• social inequality

• the experiences of ordinary people

• criticism of political leadership.

The Times

The Times is owned by News UK, a subsidiary of
Rupert Murdoch’s global media company News Corp.

The newspaper generally adopts a centre-right political
stance and has historically supported Conservative
governments, although it often maintains a more formal
and balanced tone

how does ownership often shapes the editorial culture and political positioning of a newspaper.?

xample, the Daily Mirror, owned by Reach PLC, has historically positioned itself as the voice of ordinary people. This is reflected in its slogan “The Heart of Britain.”

The newspaper therefore tends to support Labour Party policies and frequently criticises Conservative governments.

This stance is clearly visible in its coverage of the Partygate scandal, where the Mirror strongly criticised Boris Johnson. The headline “Zero Shame” frames Johnson as morally irresponsible and encourages readers to question his leadership.

industry Theory: Curran & Seaton

Curran & Seaton – Power and Media Industries

Curran and Seaton argue that media industries are dominated by large companies that prioritise profit and power.

As companies grow larger, they often reduce diversity of viewpoints.

applying curran and seaton to daily mirror and times

.the Daily Mirror, ownership by Reach PLC allows the company to benefit from horizontal integration, owning multiple newspapers. This enables economies of scale, where resources such as journalists
and digital platforms are shared, helping to maintain profitability in a competitive market. However, this can also influence the newspaper’s editorial positioning, as the Mirror consistently adopts a left-leaning stance

ontrast, The Times, owned by News UK, operates within a different economic model. It relies heavily on
subscription revenue, meaning its success depends on maintaining a reputation for credibility and authority.

what does this encourage ?

a more formal and analytical style of reporting, which appeals to its target audience. However, it still reflects ownership influence through its generally centre-right political positioning.

Hesmondhalgh – Cultural Industries

Hesmondhalgh argues that media industries attempt to reduce financial risk through strategies
such as:

• diversification

• vertical integration

• digital expansion

applying to daily mirror and the times

For example, Reach PLC, which owns the Daily Mirror, reduces risk through digital expansion, particularly
platforms such as Mirror Online and social media. This allows the newspaper to reach large audiences and generate advertising income.

In contrast, The Times, owned by News UK, reduces risk in a different way. Rather than relying heavily on advertising, it uses a subscription-based model, where readers pay for access to content.

how does it reduce risk ?

creates a more stable and predictable income strea using diff industry strategies

what is regulation ?

unlike television broadcasters, newspapers operate under a system of self-regulation.

Most newspapers are regulated by IPSO, which oversees ethical standards and complaints. However, critics argue that IPSO lacks strong enforcement powers because it is funded by the industry it regulates.

how does it raise concerns for media acountibility and hournlsim ethics ?

example, newspapers such as the Daily Mirror and The Times must ensure their reporting on political events, such as the Partygate scandal, is accurate and does not breach ethical guidelines, even when adopting
different tones or perspectives.