Daily MaIl and Guardian Mind Maps

Theories Explained and Grouped

Media Language Theories

Semiology Barthes - Meaning is created by signs through connotation, which may naturalise dominant values and ideologies. Draws attention to the naturalising effect of ideology in any text – this applies particularly to newspapers, as headlines typically assume a shared view of the world with the readers in order to be easily understood.

Genre Theory Neale - Genre codes and conventions are established and evolve through repetition within media products and intertextual relay. The concept that genre is a shared code explains how genres can change (e.g. quality press becoming more like tabloids) and hybridise (e.g. the middle market tabloids such as The Mail that follows tabloid and broadsheet conventions).

Structuralism Levi-Strauss - Identifying binary oppositions (pairs of opposed forces) can suggest the ideology of a text. Particularly applies to newspapers that set up an 'us' and 'them' opposition, in which the audiences are invited to think of themselves as 'us', a common mode of address in newspapers.

Narratology Todorov - Identifying the different stages of a narrative helps to reveal the values and ideological messages it communicates. Enables us to think of news stories as a series of disruptions, each implying an initial equilibrium and a possible resolution.

Postmodernism Baudrillard - In postmodern cultures, representations are more powerful than reality, and representations themselves no longer relate to reality. 

Media Representation Theories

Theories of Representation Hall - Representation is the process of creating meaning; whilst producers may try to fix meanings, audiences can resist this.

Theories of Identity Gauntlett - Media representations offer us a range of diverse and contradictory messages about identity, with the media being used by audiences to explore and express their identities.

Feminist Theory Van Zoonen - Women are objectified in media representations in patriarchal culture; gender identity is determined by cultural and historical contexts.

Feminist Theory Hooks - Feminism challenges patriarchy, with Hooks arguing for an intersectional approach considering how identities such as race, class and sexuality contribute to oppression alongside gender.

Theories of Gender Performativity Butler - Gender identity is not something we are born with but something we express through the performance of it; Butler challenges the notion of fixed binary identities of sexuality and gender.

Theories around ethnicity and post-colonial theory Gilroy - The history of colonialism continues to influence attitudes to ethnicity in western societies.

Media Industries Theories

Power and Media Industries Curran and Seaton - Media ownership is the most important influence on the media, with a small number of major conglomerates continuing to dominate the media industry despite the emergence of the internet. 

Regulation Livingstone and Lunt  - Media regulation is necessary to protect consumers and make sure media industries act in the public interest, however this is being undermined by the development of a global online media culture.

Cultural Industries Hesmondhalgh - Media industries are dominated by a small number of media conglomerates, who rely on the repetition of popular genres, stars and narratives to reduce risk.

Media Audiences Theories

Media Effects Bandura - Media representations can directly or indirectly influence audience values and behaviours.

Cultivation Theory Gerbner - The media can influence audience perceptions of the world over a long period of time through the repetition of similar messages.

Reception Theory Hall- Producers encode preferred meanings into media texts, which audiences respond to in one of three ways. Either accept it (dominant position), reject it (oppositional position) or partially accept elements with modifications (negotiated position).

Fandom Theory Jenkins - The development of online media has allowed audiences to participate in media culture, adapting media products to create their own content which is shared with online audiences.

End Of Audience Theory Shirky - Technological developments have changed the way in which audiences engage with media culture, leading to the rise of user generated content and reducing the power of media producers to act as gatekeepers.

Newspaper Revision

Broadsheets (Quality Tabloids) - The Guardian, The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Independant, The Financial Times.
Higher ratio of text to photography
Narrative content split
More hard news
Formal address
Elaborated language code
Objective epistemologies  (facts and figures)
Less variations in typography than tabloid
Balanced non biased reporting
2018 return of the Capital T

Tabloids - The Sun, Daily Mirror, Daily Star.

Mid Market Tabloids - Daily Mail, Daily Express.
Typography - Dramatic Headlines in large, bold, uppercase font.
Traditional British News Values
Headlines can explore Moral Panics - NHS/Knife Crime
Higher ratio of text to photography that tabloid
Direct, Informal address
Use of pronouns 'we' and 'you' - shared beliefs and values
Subjective Epistemologies - emotive representation
Cross of broadsheet and tabloid - hard (politics,Science,Health) and soft news (celeb gossip,sport,Fashion).

Local Newspapers e.g. South London Press

Freesheets e.g. The Metro

Sunday Newspapers - The Observer (The Guardian), Sunday Times, Mail on Sunday, Sunday Telegraph, The Sun On Sunday, Sunday Mirror.

The Guardian (£2.00)

Media Language and Representation
Familiar masthead and lower case font blue and white palette - brand identity
Price Anchors Broadsheet genre and ABC1 Audience
Entertainment stories in masthead target culturally aware readers
Directs traffic to online platform - institutional synergy
Juxtaposition and binary opposition (Strauss) e.g. next to diversity story will be article critical of male dominated freemasonry
News values
High ratio of text to photography - broadsheet conventions
Objectivity - Investigative journalism
Binary oppositions Individual v Institution
Foregrounds 'open journalism', Citizen journalism and need for reform (interactive comments)

Declining newspaper circulation:
Digitisation means proliferation of news platforms
Newspapers and print are seen by digital natives as 'old media'
Social media, 24hr news offers immediacy, challenging relevance of newspapers
App platforms offer ease of access and online news can exploit convergence

Daily Mail

Female/Male gender split
Stereotype is middle aged middle class middle of England, Traditionally British - Right Wing political ideologies.
35+ with significant 55+ print readership (average 58) younger online
Supporters of Brexit and British institution of the royal family
Established British Publication (1896) ofter refer to tradition
Loyal supporters of conservative party
Outspoken right wing political ideologies binary opposite to the Daily Mirror
Sister paper The Mail On Sunday (1982)
Tradition dictates ownership
Daily Mail and general trust is a wealthy British Multinational organisation
1.25M+ Circulation, 2nd highest to the Sun
New Editor Geordie Grief 'Softening'
Positioning the audience using Stuart Hall
Daily Mail readers share cultural or situated Capital.
They are often positioned into a preferred reading by reference to tradition or History.
Frequent usage of words 'we' or 'us' encode a mythical shared identity
Direct mode of address anchors the representations

Albert Bandura

Theory suggesting audiences are victim to passive consumption
The Daily Mail through use of language, Juxtaposition, Typography and inage choices or reinforces right wing beliefs and values
Key to theory is that it affects behaviour e.g. headline encouraging racism

Gerbner

The Daily Mail reflects news values that are continually reinforced as 'common sense' A hegemonic assumption
Gerbner argues that repeated similar headlines, repeated positive representations or the Royal Family for example, establishes a 'world view' that is hard to challenge.
Cultivates a right wing ideology and reinforces traditional values


Online News v Offline 
Expanded content - more feature based reporting and opinion
Complex issues simplified through visual representations - Broadening Audience
Convergent links, even intertextuality
Interactivity plus links to social networking
Increased Brand Identity

The Daily Mail Online Brand Identity
Same serif font 'Mail'
News values - support British tradition/institution
More soft news
Targets a younger female demographic - Kim Kardashian Story
Saturated primary colour palette - more like gossip mag
Femail section:
Stereotypically pink/red
significant advertising content reflecting stereotypically gendered consumerist ideology
Brands reinforcing this stereotype
Meghan Russell (Fashion)
Editorial content reflecting stereotypical female interests - Home Makeovers and Babies
Summary:
Reflects decline in print media circulation Target younger females
Convergent links to Audio Visual media including Daily Mail TV - Synergy with syndicated american daily news broadcast
Over 100M unique visitors per month
Successful brand extension
Increased competition with - Broadcaster news websites, stand alone news platforms, international news platforms, news aggregation services and crucially social networking.

Ownership Models 
Consolidated - Trinity Mirror, News UK, Daily Mail General Trust.
Privately owned - Press holdings, The Independent.
Trust Ownership - Guardian Media Group owned by The Scott Trust

Regulation
Leveson said "Politicians and Press have become too close"
The Police are too close to News International
Press behaviour is sometimes outrageous
Must be a new Independent regulator with statutory underpinning - fines and possible jail for editors.
Deal with complaints that have breached the editors code of practise. Some 'new sanctions'
Decisions - Committee of 12. 7 Independent, 5 Representing newspaper.
Hacked off - Campaign for exposing press regulation failures. Believe widespread corruption. Most complaints regarding accuracy.
Daily Mail regulation:
Has disproportionate impact on the news stands but also dictating a broadcast media agenda - BBC radio 4 .
Impress is a pro-leveson alternative regulator but no national newspapers are signed up.

Jungle Book Exemplar Questions

The 1967 Jungle book relied on a budget of $4 Million as they key focus was that of the animation as Disney himself had developed a multiplane camera that enabled special effects like moving water. Disney was very involved with the making of The Jungle book due to the last Disney release (The Sword and The Stone) proving underwhelming at the box office,

Trailers
Posters
Convergence
Social media
Triptych posters


Sir's Exemplar

Both The Jungle Books (1967 and 2016) were mainstream films distributed by Disney - this would mean a saturated marketing campaign targeting a mass, mainstream audience.

The economic context underpinning production and distribution links to patterns of ownership which means Disney, in 2016 as one of the so-called big six would have significant funding as a multinational conglomerate to fund high production value films with cross-platform marketing campaigns. In the case of Jungle Book 2016 (estimated budget of 177 million dollars), Disney used high production values which means 'A' star marketing (voices), more time spent on production, access to the latest CGI (with live action) and important synergy with the 1967 film including iconic soundtrack but also institutional synergy. The Jungle Book 2016 was heavily promoted through its theme parks. The same could be said about the 1967 version ( estimated budget of 4 million dollars) as they used the latest technology in animation (the multi-plane animation camera and technicolor).

In 2016 and 2017 Disney was the number one distributor in terms of theatrical revenue including films that are part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe (that it owns). Early Jungle Book teaser trailers made direct intertextual homage to the 1967 film with familiar characters and an emotive narrative. Mowgli featured extensively in a range of posters targeting global audiences, particularly the lucrative asian market - with Shere Khan, Bagheera, King Louis and Baloo. The unique selling point from 1967 of animals raising a human boy in Mowgli was heavily exploited in 2016 across platforms in the run up to the films release. A website was the central marketing hub that allowed audiences to click through convergent links to YouTube trailers, Social networking platforms, behind the scenes and interviews with the cast and the crew. The Jungle Book 2016 marketing was an interactive experience that targeted parents and children - primary and secondary audiences including families.

Bloggers and entertainment sites were used to get the message across - paid for communications and 'mentions' built viral hype along with 360 degree Facebook videos. More traditional marketing included trailers and 3D trailers played before the late 2015 Disney brand Star Wars: The Force Awakens but also during high rating TV spots like Superbowl (a telecast known for having the most lucrative advertising break in the world).

3D marketing was important to 2016 Jungle Book as available technology meant the film could be marketed as 'the spectacle' in IMAX format whereas 1967 Jungle Book relied on character and narrative. However, the iconic status of the 1967 Jungle Book cannot be underestimated in the marketing of the 2016 film with nostalgia targeting older audiences.
Both films relied to some extent on Disney merchandising with 1967 focusing on animation technology and humour to sell the film. Obviously in 1967 there was a heightened print campaign as a result of a lack of technology that is available nowadays.

In terms of ownership and economic context and mapping the theories of David Hesmondalgh, at the time, Disney were also vertically integrated linking funding, production and distribution ensuring commercial success for a safe genre film thus minimising risk and maximising profit.