The Daily Mirror - representation analysis comparison

 10 Compare how the representations in these newspapers position audiences. [30]

In your answer you must:

• consider the similarities in how the representations position audiences

• consider the differences in how the representations position audiences

• make judgements and draw conclusions about how far the representations reflect social and cultural contexts

Knee Jerk 

Both of these newspapers use representations to position audiences, for the purpose of reinforcing the ideology of the producer, and cultivating an audience who will engage with the newspaper every day

Daily Mirror - Johnson

Daily Express - Badenoch

Tabloid  Sans serif masthead White, working class, middle aged target audiences Left wing, Labour audience 95p working class target audience Red top - stereotypical, conventional tabloid “Zero shame”, positions audience as rejecting Johnson’s ideologies Audience are positioned in a way to agree with the ideology of the newspaper, anchored by the dramatic lexis Represents the party in power as villainous  The ‘countdown’ lexis of the Mirror presents a dominant ideology of the country in collapse, an issue caused by the corrupt conservative party, with Johnson represented as the antagonist in this clear narrative Less educated working class audience targeted through simplistic and straightforward lexis to position audience and to evoke specific ideologies Lexis “the heart of Britain” is also patriotic, yet not as extreme as The Express, suggesting a more centrist audience  Skyline teases feature article, “Tears of the King” makes reference to King George, a monarch who died in the 1950s, targeting an older, nostalgic and patriotic audience

Tabloid Slightly serif masthead White, working class, middle aged target audiences Right wing, conservative audience  £1.80 - slightly more expensive  A tabloid but not a red top - less conventional  “Rural way of life” positions audiences as working agriculture, and living in the countryside Audience are positioned in a way to agree with the ideology of the newspaper, anchored by the dramatic lexis Represents the party in power as villainous  The dominant ideology of the producer is demonstrated through a patriotic mode of address, “lifeblood of this country”, anchored through the main image of Badenoch, determined, her clenched fist a proairetic code, suggesting she will fight Less educated working class audience targeted through simplistic and straightforward lexis to position audience and to evoke specific ideologies Stereotypically patriotic knight image in masthead positions the audience with patriotic and conservative mode of address, and anchors the right wing ideological perspective Sell line “free inside” suggest that the audience are concerned with money. The “We kept calm and carried on” lexis once more reinforces a patriotic mode of address

Introduction - DAC

Representation refers to the re-presentation of an issue, group of people, ideology or event. Representations are constructed by the producer, using forceful media language to not only shape the ideology of their target audience, but also to construct a new reality. Representations are essential in positioning audiences, which is how audiences are ‘placed’ within a media product. I shall argue that both these newspapers use representations to position audiences, for the purpose of reinforcing the ideology of the producer, and cultivating an audience who will engage with the newspaper every day. To explore this, I shall refer to the set edition of the daily mirror, a left wing, British tabloid published by Reach PLC, a horizontally integrated British media conglomerate. I shall also refer to The Daily Express, a British right wing tabloid. 

Paragraphs

• One representation that effectively positions audiences is the representations of Britain itself…
• Another representation that both newspapers share is the representation of the working class target audience 
• (both newspapers construct and target a working class audience. However, both newspapers choose not to represent working class people on the front pages, suggesting that the working class do not have a place in politics. This representational hierarchy is highly conventional)
• However, these newspapers differ in terms of their representation of conservative politicians…

• Stuart Hall - representations are constructed through media language, especially stereotypes 
• Stuart Hall - reception theory - different audiences respond in different ways, but ideologies are anchored through media language
• David Gauntlet - audience construct identity through these representations