Analysing reports

THE TIMES:
Headline lexis: Man held after baby dies 'in attack on twins'. Giving the title 'man' , makes the murderer anonymous and mysterious. It also creates enigma and makes audiences want to know who this 'man' is. The verb 'die' sounds cold and intrusive, as it is explaining the murder of a child. Attack on twins gives the story a narrative and sounds like a title to a story. This gives a basic idea on what the advert is based on.
Selection of Images:
The only image used includes a low angle shot of police entering the crime scene.

DAILY MIRROR:
Headline lexis: Man held after toddler dies in hammer attack
Use of 'toddler' makes the victim sound even more vulnerable and innocent, giving the story more tragedy. 'Hammer attack' sounds violent, and the producer has jumped to conclusions on how the murder happened just to make the story more tragic.
Selection of Images: The use of an image where the victim looks upset creates more emotion and sensationalistic characteristics to the news report. An image where the potential murderer looks content makes audiences think that murderers can look like an average person, and you can never know who can capable of doing such a thing.
Layout: This news story is considerably larger in size in comparison to the times report, maybe because the story evokes emotion, tragedy and scandal which is more common of a tabloid newspaper. 

In what ways can media products incorporate viewpoints and ideologies? (Talking only about these articles)
Media language can be used to incorporate viewpoints and ideologies. For example, in the Daily Mirror article, emotive language is used to describe the victim to enhance his vulnerability and innocence. This gives the story more tragedy, and consequently giving a viewpoint in which the children are in danger. This language creates ideologies based around the murderer. "Hammer attack" gives connotations of violence and makes the murderer sound more brutal as the murder weapon is mentioned. 
Barthes codes are also used to create enigma in the headline. The unidentified suspect makes audiences suspicious and want to know more. 

Feminist Theory - Lisbet Van Zoonen

• She believes in the idea that gender is constructed through discourse, and that its meaning varies according to cultural and historical content.
• The idea that the display of women's bodies as objects to be looked at is a core element of western patriarchal culture.
• The idea that in mainstream culture the visual and narrative codes that are used to construct the male body as spectacle differ from those used to objectify the female body. 

Sexualisation vs. Objectification:

S - make something (person or object) exhibit sexual aspects. To define something purely by their perceived physical attractiveness.

O - present somebody as something inanimate or unfeeling. To define somebody purely by their use or function.

The article captions that rumours say, Kylie Jenner is pregnant. However, the photo that anchors the caption has no relevance to the subject, and instead objectifies the woman plainly for her physical attractiveness. It sends the message that her potential pregnancy may interfere with her attractive looks, and could ruin the image she has constructed for herself. This can have an impact on society, as following the theory of the hypodermic needle, people may take from this that it is unacceptable to become pregnant and still be beautiful afterwards. 

This article focuses entirely on objectifying women for their bodies. The article has no other purpose than looking at how the celebrity looks, and their physique. This sends the message that having a slim, toned body is attractive for women, and to men.

Introduction to the times and constructing representations

Tabloid vs. Broadsheet differences:

• Broadsheet uses smaller font, to fit more information on the page.
• The broadsheet uses more calming colours, whereas the tabloid uses alarming colours.
• The tabloid uses playful language, whereas the broadsheet uses formal language.
• Broadsheet uses a plainer layout, and the tabloid uses a bold layout.

Polysemy - not everything has a single meaning. In newspapers however producers typically try to avoid polysemic readings. 

Anchoring - the fixing of a particular meaning to a media text, often through the use of captions. The process of forcing an audience in to a particular reading.

Bias - inclination or prejudice for or against one person or group, especially in a way considered to be unfair.

Agenda - a list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting. 

The STUDY OF REPRESENTATION looks at:

1. The group, place or issue on which a media text is focusing.

2. The technical devices the media text uses in order to present these groups or issues.

3. The message about the group or issue in the text being created.

4. The impact of this message on the target audience.

Component 1 - Media Products, Industries and Audiences (Newspapers)

Institution - the values and ideology of a media product.
Importance of Institution:
It is a way to differentiate between products, and can give the consumer some idea of 'quality', which may influence a decision.

Example: Long Road Sixth Form (as a media product)
Differentiation - Long Road needs to prove that it is different from other colleges, like Hill's Road.
Competition - Long Road is a business like any other, and it needs to enrol a certain number of student to remain economically viable. The same principal can be applied to any media/ non-media industry.
Identification - I go to Long Road, rather than the building next to the hospital.
Ideology - Long Road has a very clear message and values; 'move on up' from secondary education, studying here will be challenging yet awarding.

Logo Analysis:

• Intricate detail, represents quality clothing.
• Bold yet simple typeface almost shows the brand doesn't need a specific typeface, as the name is so well known.
• Greek imagery used to show how long the brand has been around, giving it an almost ancient characteristic, as if the brand is everlasting.
• The beauty and perfection of the face mirrors the high quality and beauty of their product, a product of high fashion. 
• The way the symbol is constructed creates an emblem-like shield, as if the brand is a constitution of importance, almost royalty.

First Impressions: Daily Mirror

Layout and design - busy and colourful.

Composition - The brand logo takes up a significant amount of the page.

Elements of narrative - 'Strictly's Tameka 'gutted at axe''.

Point of View - Appeals to audiences interested in celebrity lives, reality TV, and scandal.

Copy - Short and punctual yet dramatic language to get across message, using puns to create a playful approach on maybe very serious matters.