Audiences for the daily mirror

Audiences:

The Daily Mirrors target audience, according to NRS and ABC data are predominantly C2DE, over 35 and are working class Labour supporters.

Readers of the Daily Mirror have a relatively low reading age (typical red top tabloid readerships), hence the reliance of simple terms and restricted code language/low register within stories.

Slightly more female orientated newspaper (perhaps a reflection of the target readership of the mirror when it was first released in 1930?) as reflected by the 'female friendly' content of many stories (celebrity gossip, fashion, reality tv, etc.)

A larger readership in the north of the UK, reflected in its left wing, labour supporting, working class politics.

A middle aged readership is typical of the media format (print based newspapers). If the audience for the Mirror Online were to to be analysed, no doubt the age range would fall significantly, as younger audiences tend to rely on social media and online news as a stronger source of their daily current affairs consumption.

A readership who's professions include: working in the consumer good, home and garden and entertainment industries would match the expectations of largely blue (factory based) and white (office based) collar workers within the working to lower middle classes- the newspapers primary target audience as reflected by the social and political allegiances of the newspaper.

Audience interpretation:

-The Daily mirror will tend to react positively to stories reflecting liberal, free thinking, socially equal, left wing leanings and negatively to stories reflecting socially rigid, conservative, reactionary, ordered right wing tendencies. For example, within the Trump election win edition, the newspaper targets this primary audience group as it highlights his right wing conservatism and attempts to install fear in the reader through the use of the rhetoric and emotive use of the front page headline.

Newspapers = tailor made:

-Front pages: image focused. Lots of pictures to interest the potential reader. Massivee headlines and only a small section of the larger story. Emphasis on puff to elaborate offers/promotions within. Stories tend to be celebrity, tv or pseudo political in nature. Stories about children/families also tend to receive strongest reception. Sub headings used to elaborate on sometimes enigma laden headlines to fill in the blanks.

Newspapers = tailor made:

-Back pages: one major sporting headline with smaller secondary story down the side or top/bottom of page. Emphasis on large picture and massive headline to stress emphasis. Focus on football- a working class sport which is the most popular in the uk. emphasis on national sports and teams over domestic (England more important than arsenal for example.) Small amount of copy with jump line again.

Newspapers = tailor made:

-Centre spreads: massive picture and headline but now all story across two pages- no jump line. Tends to focus on human interest story and/or use of interest to left wing viewpoint (e.g. unions, state of employment, cutbacks, etc) but the emphasis is on the individual through interviews, quotes, etc.

Newspapers = tailor made:

-Editorials: short, located down side bar and focused on multiple topical events via smaller headlines/sub headlines. Offers comments in keeping with the mirrors left wing ideologies. Favours strong values over the individual. e.g. although the mirror is a staunch corny supporter, editorial is quick to criticise his 'weak stand' on potentially anti-semitic individuals within his party.

Newspapers = tailor made:

-Letter pages: Celeb and television orientated. Comments of no 'real substance', only reflect attitude and opinion which largely supports the Daily Mirror's underlying ideologies.

Online = tailor made:

Home page: bright, colourful and containing massive images (all linked to the story when clicked on.) Home page is scrolling list of the days most important stories, smaller stories (pics and headings) are either older or less important. Menu system in operation alon2g header (across all pages) offering simple alternatives (news, politics, etc) along with social media icons.

online = tailor made:

"Got a story?" page: Simple use of white space, clear branding of Daily Mirror and Sunday version (Sunday mirror.) Brief description of each with clear news deck telephone numbers as contacts.

online = tailor made:

-Celeb pages: same layout as home page (large images, smaller headings- all linked to stories when clicked), large emphasis on reality TV celebrities (TOWIE, strictly come dancing, I'm a celebrity, etc), sex and (partial) nudity

Online = tailor made:

Sports pages: all important stories tend to be fairly working class sports (boxing, football, UFC, WWE?) and pics contain various 'action shots.' Also, contains links to interviews with selected 'sports personalities.' Further down the pages there are a greater range of sports relating to a higher class (cricket, horse racing, etc.) and national sports (American football and basketball.)

Cultivation Theory- George Gerbner:

-Audience exposure to repeated patterns of representation (of trump and his election campaign) by newspapers may shape and influence their views and opinions. This is apparent through he Mirror's constant reiteration of their left wing, labour supporting values. But perhaps it could also be partly responsible with its readership's apparent obsession with modern celebrity gossip/ the rise of reality tv.

Reception theory- Stuart Hall:

-the Daily Mirror is able to promote a hegemonic-dominant reading of its viewpoint on Trump's victory through the use of encoding and decoding, which is fully accepted by the reader. This rating is now seen as 'naturalised,' as repeated exposure to the Daily Mirro's norms and values have now legitimised and normalised this alignment to their 'shared' ideologies.

Reception Theory- Stuart Hall:

It is unlikely that any regular reader of the daily mirror would gain an oppositional reading of their stories as they are probably more amenable to a right wing tabloid instead, such as the sun.

End of Audience- Clay Shirky:

-The conceptualisation 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 to debate and comment on stories, which the Mirror Online does through its website.