Football news

Football coverage is important for certain audiences, as it functions as aspirational escapism.
Information: finding out if your favourite team is winning is important, as football fans form an intense emotional bond with their team
Discussions about football allow fans to form intense friendships with one another, meaning that learning more about football leads to exciting social situations
Specific lexis that only fans of sport will understand. By understanding this language , it validates the audience as a football fan
Information can be used to form friendships ad to exchange information with other football fans
Provides information to fans in a way that they will understand

Articles about the weather

These articles allow audiences social interaction through being able to look after and protect their friends and family
Talking about the weather is a stereotypical British pastime, and this reinforces patriotic values
The weather is an event which is shared by everybody, gives a sense of collective unity
It is a stereotype that British people like to talk about the weather. It is a conversation starter, and provides us with a sense of national identity

Negative and depressing news stories are popular, because they are interesting
Audiences can be aware of terrible things that happen in the world, giving them an opportunity to prepare
These stories are enjoyable. Audiences can take a grim form of escapism, and realise that their lives are so much better
Finally, we can share these stories with friends, and therefore increase the opportunity for social interaction
Audiences will doubtless react negatively to stories like this. It is clear that depressing and awful stories hold appeal
An enjoyment of the narrative. These dramatic stories provide escapism to audiences. It is interesting, and different from their day to day life
While not everyone will enjoy reading horrible stories about death, The Mirror online provides many different opportunities to pick and mix instead