More newspaper revision

More newspaper revision

Halls theory of representation

The media uses stereotypes to reduce people down to simplified characteristics which audiences can identify

Stereotypes result from inequality in power, where people from hegemonic groups want to remain powerful and keep lower classes from getting power.

This hegemonic group is typically rich, white, heterosexual men. They have lack of experience with the groups that they stereotype.

Analyze the different social and cultural representations in Source A and B. Apply Hall’s theory of representation in your answer.

- Introduce the theory and apply it to news

- Paragraph on Source A, what is being represented and how does this demonstrate the theory?
  - Written, technical and symbolic codes, how do they construct these representations

- Paragraph on Source B, what is being represented and how does this demonstrate the theory?
  - Written, technical and symbolic codes, how do they construct these representations

Contexts

Economic: DMG Media is owned by Viscount Rothermere, and controls a large amount of UK newspapers, such as the Daily Mail. Similarly, Reach PLC owns newspapers such as the Daily Mirror, and NewsUK (owned by Rupert Murdoch) owns the sun and so forth.

The newspaper industry is therefore an oligopoly, which leads to a limited amount of ideas being produced in the news. The ideology of the producers are often reflected in the content within the newspapers, leading to positive or negative representations being constructed of political parties and key figures.

Circulation of print newspapers have declined following technological advancements which leaves audiences expecting interactivity and to be able to read news at the push of a button; as a result, producers have adapted and moved to online news to maximize profits and stay competitive.

Political: The press is the fourth estate which underpins democracy and holds the powerful to account. The newspaper industry is oligopolistic as a result of our society being capitalist with a free market economy. Additionally, the market needs regulation to ensure plurality.

Regulatory: The close relationship between the press and politicians was criticized by the Leveson inquiry, leading to an increase in transparency. The inquiry led to recommendations which newspapers were advised to follow, such as being regulated by IPSO and IMPRESS. Regulation from these groups is not properly enforced however, allowing newspapers to get away with some of their content.

In the case of The Guardian, they are self-regulated by the Scotts trust, using it to hold them to account.

Cultural/Historical: Reading newspapers is a British cultural tradition, coming about since mass consumerism from the 1900s onwards. The newspaper industry has adapted to changing audience habits and moved online from 1980s amid technological advancements.

Print news brands struggle to compete with online news because of this amid declining print circulation.

As the newspaper industry is oligopolistic the same views and ideology are repeated, allowing producers to enforce cultural norms and viewpoints on the consumer.

Social: News reflects what is happening in society and reflects current social concerns (Brexit, Terrorism, etc)

Question

"Explain how the historical context influence patterns of consumption and response."

Historically audiences have consumed print newspaper and expected minimal interactivity with the news that they read. 

With technological advancements from the 1980s audience habits have changed and they now expect a high level of interactivity with their news, and to be able to read it with a touch of a button.

Producers have adapted to these changing audience habits amid decline in print circulation by moving to online news, where they can offer the interactivity that audiences expect through features such as the comments section, ability to share news to different social platforms, etc.