Industries for Newspapers

Flashcards covering industries for newspapers, A level media studies on the Eduqas exam board

If newspapers come up in section B of component one for the A-level media studies exam, what will be the focus?

It will focus on industries and audiences, considering a whole edition of the newspaper, its website, and social media pages.

What does "ownership" mean in the context of newspapers?

Companies and people involved in the production of a newspaper. For the Daily Mirror, it's Reach PLC (formerly Trinity Mirror), and for The Times, it's Times Newspapers, owned by News UK, which is owned by News Corp.

What are the key characteristics of Reach plc?

Publishes over 50 newspapers and has diversified into local newspapers. They share resources and journalists between their different newspapers. They maintain their position as a leader within the newspaper industry.

What are the advantages of being fully vertically and horizontally integrated within a giant conglomerate for The Times?

It belongs to a giant global conglomerate, has a lot of money and resources, can share journalists and stories, and has a lot of power.

Who is Rupert Murdoch?

He is the owner of News Corp conglomerate, Australian, lives in America, and is a Republican Party donor, which could suggest a right-wing bias.

What is the impact of shareholders and stockholders on how newspapers operate as a company?

It's important for them to protect the reputation of their newspapers while appealing to their target audience to make as much money as possible.

What was the impact of the phone hacking scandal on News Corp?

It caused a huge amount of bad publicity, damaged the company's stock market and shares, and led to the shutdown of News of the World to protect the reputation and worth of other newspapers.

What does the News Corp Case demonstrate about Curran and Seaton's Profit and Power theory, and Hesselmann Howell's minimizing risk and maximizing profit?

That the company made a business decision based entirely on money and reputation.

What regulatory board do The Times and The Mirror belong to?

IPSO, a newspaper-run regulatory board. IPSO does not follow the recommendations of the Leveson Inquiry.

How has technology made the regulation of newspapers very challenging?

Difficult, because audiences can make comments, and it's hard for technology to moderate context or cultural references. Human moderators are good at identifying context, but cannot read as much content as a computer can.

How does the circulation of the Daily Mirror and The Times compare?

Daily Mirror's circulation is rapidly declining, but its website readership is large. The Times' circulation is either increasing or staying the same.

How do newspapers earn money through digital websites?

Digital advertising and opening up other digital revenue streams.

What are some alternative revenue streams for the Daily Mirror?

Daily Mirror has advertising space online, premium rate phone lines. The website contains a betting section, and a dating section.

What idea do the websites for the newspapers show?

Henry Jenkins' ideas that the audience has become much more active because of technology, wanting to speak back to producers, and create their own content.

What might the advertisements be in a newspaper to target an audience?

The adverts are often tailored towards the target audience of the newspaper. Daily Mirror you will find ads for Tesco's and Lidl, while in the Times, you will find ads for Waitrose and Marks and Spencer's .

Who are The Daily Mirror's Target Audiences?

The Daily Mirror's target audience is working class, mostly male readers over the age of 35, with left-wing views. The readers typically have a slightly lower reading age, so enjoy stories that have large pictures, focus on soft news, and have a smaller amount of writing.

What does The Times offer its audiences?

Signing up for free to view two articles a week. The Times will send regular weekly emails reminding their audience to return to their website, and remind them to complete the infamous Times crossword.

What prizes does The Times offer in their competitions?

Royal Shakespeare Company tickets, wine tasting events, and listening to previous prime ministers speak in public.

What does Blumler & Katz’s Uses and Gratifications Theory suggest about newspapers?

Audiences read the newspapers for information, education or entertainment value. Additionally, audiences like to be able to identify with stories, engage in social interaction, or to escape into a better life.