Newspapers: The Times - Language and Audience

 Language

1) What is the main story on the front cover of the Times CSP edition (26 April 2019) and why does it appeal to Times readers?

The main story is talking about private schools that are going against the Labour policy to change the VAT to private school fee. This appeals to a Times reader as they are most likely to be older showing they have kids that go to private schools.

2) List the other news stories and kickers on the front page of the Times CSP edition. Why do you think the Times selected these for the front page?

The other stories are about security leak and about sleeping well. Times carefully selected sleeping well for the front cover as most readers have high powered jobs which could cause stress. Also the security leak is about politics and crime which are a few aspects times readers are interested in.

3) What are the main stories on the inside pages of the Times CSP edition and how are they constructed to appeal to Times readers? 

The main story inside the page of the Times is about Sir lanker tourists worried about terror, this is constructed to appeals to the audience as it portrays global matters that may strike importance to wealthy people who work across the world. 

4) Which of Galtung and Ruge's News Values apply to the Times's front page stories? Write about both the main story on private schools and the government leak enquiry. 

Amplitude: Views education as important and represents fee paying schools (private schools) in a positive light. More elitist. This is because it includes large number of people like students, teachers and parents. 

Familiarity: Criminal government leak is angled to defend the government and contains multiple denials of any wrongdoing. This supports the government and creates a representation of the Conservative Party as being law-abiding and open to scrutiny. This reinforces the fact that the Times usually supports the Conservative Party in British politics. This is because it is culturally close to us in Britain and talks about the parties and government here. 

5) What does a close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggest about the Times's political beliefs?

The Times supports the Conservative Party and is against the leftwing Labour Party. Generally, the newspaper will act as a voice for the establishment (the wealthy and powerful) and will not support anything that threatens major changes to the status quo.. This can be found in the two main news stories on the front page. 

Audience

1) What is the main readership demographic for The Times newspaper? Add as much detail as you can.

Views education as important and represents fee paying schools (private schools) in a positive light which is more elitist. this which is conservative talking and going against the Labor party about private schools and its fee-paying. This is shown they all put their kids in private schools which portrays how rich the family and they are which they are even spoiling their kids. 

2) What aspects of the front page of the Times CSP edition suggest that their readers are likely to be more educated and interested in hard news rather than entertainment?

Slogan ‘Britain’s most trusted newspaper’ represents the British press as traditional and authentic / trustworthy. Expected to uphold British values. Also by using the crest, the newspaper is associating itself with being British and part of an established heritage and tradition. This fully shows us that the Times are more mostly. into formal, hard news and education. 

3) Times readers are mostly over 55 years old. Why is this and how is this reflected by the new stories and kickers in the CSP pages we have studied?  

Only old people read newspapers while all the young adults and teenagers read all their newspapers online as also this is not entertainments and its a Conservative party which is against teenagers which might go with Labour party now. 

4) What is the main audience pleasure offered by the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory.

The main audience pleasure offered by the Times is Surveillance/Information : The main reason we read newspapers is to find out what is going on in the world around us.  News, different opinions, information about current affairs. Information about British politics (inquiry) and British Royal family (patriotic). Information about fee-paying schools also suggests education is important to the target audience and they are more likely to be on the side of the Headteachers rather than Labour.

5) Why might a reader enjoy this CSP edition of the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory categories and write as detailed an analysis as you can.

Diversion/Entertainment: One of the main reasons we read newspapers is for entertainment. We want to be entertained. Information about royals who are seen as an important part of British culture and also access to cultural ‘hotspots’ for leisure and house tips. This targets people with disposable income and an interest in culture/status and how they are perceived.