Looking at and comparing how two different newspapers report the same story.

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Nathan Beck 10c

Looking at and comparing how two different newspapers report the same story.

        In the following essay, I intend to compare the differences and similarities in which two different newspapers – a tabloid (The Mirror) and a broadsheet (The Times) report the same story.  I will be looking at the presentation and the use of language as well as the basics of how the story is put forward and told.  Both papers are reporting the same story in which Prince Philip made a statement along the lines that ‘guns are no more dangerous than cricket bats’ following a shooting at a school in Dunblane in Scotland.  In general there are many differences between tabloids and broadsheets.  A tabloid is smaller than a broadsheet, usually being about half the size and so is easier to handle.  Tabloids tend to be more gossip based, informing more on celebrities, scandals and entertaining the reader whereas a broadsheet focuses on more serious issues such as politics, business and informing the reader.

        Both papers feature several presentation techniques, but how they are used differ greatly.  For example, the masthead in The Mirror is very bold and simple whereas The Times’ is more formal yet ornate, posh and traditional.  The style of these masthead contrasts with the style of the paper itself, The Mirror in it’s choice of reported articles and the way in which they are produced is very simple and ‘to the point’ whereas The Times’ articles are usually far more informative with less colloquial language and humour.  The Mirror’s headline is very large and bold, this attracts the readers attention as well as making the page seem less intimidating as there is far less to actually read.  The Times’ on the other hand is far smaller making room for a far larger article.  The headline is informative with no sort of pun of joke and is not bias in any way whereas The Mirror is quite obviously bias.  The headline claims the Prince to be foolish in the form of a pun – ‘foolip’.

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        In an article the lead paragraph is designed to have a large impact on the reader which sums up the story in a short space.  This is useful for people who haven’t got time to read the full article.  It is also designed to interest the reader so they read on.  In The Mirror the lead paragraph is simple and bold, full of emotion and sensational language such as ‘sparked outrage’ to over exaggerate the story.  The lead paragraph is designed to be short and ‘straight to the point’ but it fails to mention any positive side to the ...

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