Half way down into the lead story is a content index on, ‘The war on Saddam’. They have put it here as it is to do with lead story, and is simply saying that there is a lot more information about this topic inside.
However, if you look right at the bottom of the page, you will notice another content index. As this is set away from the lead, it has nothing to do with the topic, but instead shows what other stories or issues are inside this paper.
On the bottom right-hand side, there is an advert. Adverts are great for newspaper companies, as they fill up space in their papers, and also bring in money, due to the fact that the companies wanting to add these adverts having to pay for them to be added. Adverts in papers are a great way to publicise companies, as millions of people read the newspapers every day: This is why you will find them in every paper you read. You can see though that they have put it out of the main focal point of the page. However, as it is in a bright yellow background, people are still going to notice it.
In addition, there is a cartoon based upon the current affairs, in this case the war on Iraq. This cartoon looks a little flippant, as they are making light of the current incidences in Iraq. However, It may put a few smiles on the faces of the families of whom have people involved in this current affair.
As I look down the page, I notice that the font sizes get smaller. I suspect that this is because at the top of the page, where the headlines are, people will be noticing that part, and beauty of that is that they are at the beginning of the lead story. It all fits together, and is designed so the reader will look from top and then to bottom of the page.
As well as the layout of the page, the style is equally important. The definition of style is, ‘Style is the way in which something is presented, i.e. bold writing’
As you would expect, on the front page, the masthead is very fancy the headlines are very big and bold and the pictures are all in colour. This is because a more bright and in your face approach to the layout is more likely to attract people to buy the paper, rather than a dull and boring approach. In addition, I noticed the variance in font sizes and the use of bold lettering. I suspect that this is because firstly it looks less dull and boring, as the reader has a difference of fonts to view rather than it all being the same. In addition, it is because it becomes more eye-catching, as it is human nature to notice the un-ordinary or strange, and although the paper is not strange or un-ordinary to us, the use of different font sizes etc. is quite un-ordinary to our brain, making us look at it curiously.
Another thing I noticed about the stylistic features of the lettering on this page is the fact that the font of it is serif. This is the little flicks of the lettering. For example, the font, MS Reference Sans serif (Sans meaning without) would look like this: MS Reference Sans Serif. As you can see, there are no little flicks on this. However, on Ms Reference Serif, it would look like this: MS Reference Serif. As you can see, there are little flicks on the font with the serif, most notable on the ‘n’, ‘r’ and ‘m’. These are added here because they look more attractive, and, as they are not as boring to look at and read as the sans serif.
The pictures on the front page are all in colour. I suspect that this too is to catch on lookers eyes. In addition to this, it also makes the paper look more professional. This is because the pictures are of high quality, and that a skilled person must have taken them.
Even the advert has some stylistic features worth noting. The fact that the font is sans serif, (without the flicks) gives it a more urgent and important vibe. Although it would look boring if the whole lead story was sans serif, if you use little of it, you can create an urgent and important vibe to it. The saying, ‘Less is better’ certainly counts here.
On the second page, many comparisons can be made with the front page. I will start with the layout of the page.
This time, at the top of the page is the page number, the papers web site address, and the masthead, however this time a lot smaller, and lastly the date. These have been put here, but as they are no longer that important, (as they have been stated on the front page already) they are in a very small font.
Underneath the top of the page is a banner telling the reader that they are still reading about the war on Iraq. This is quite similar to the banner on the front, as it is about the same topic.
Unlike on the front page, on this page there is a fact-file on the war on Iraq. This is good, as it breaks down the events and then the reader is able to digest the information much easier. Again, I notice that at the start of a certain marker, it is in a large font, and then with the information, the font is smaller.
On this page there are three separate articles, two new articles, and one continued from the front page. One article runs directly alongside another. They are distinguished by one being in bold and the other not in bold. They use a quote to separate the other articles.
In the bottom left hand corner, are the lottery results. These may be very important to millions of people, but the articles propose more importance. Even though they are ‘tucked’ away, the headline for the lottery results is of bold font, and in white with a black background. This combination should be enough to make people notice it.
The style of this page is also very different from the front page.
Firstly, the whole page is in black and white. Reason for this could that it saves money, as colour print is a lot more expensive. It could be because the black and white aspect gives a sad emotion out, and tries to provoke the feelings of the reader, or it could possible be because on this page there is more writing then there is pictures.
In addition, the headlines are still in bold, but they are not as eye catching as they were on the front page. This could be because they do not have to catch people’s eyes no more, as they have done that already, because they have opened the page, meaning that people have already picked it up. All the headlines have to do is to attract the reader to look at the start of the story.
The way in which the fact-file has been presented is also very good. It has been laid out as a diary account. As I said before it makes the whole event a lot easier to digest. In addition, in this page they have used a diagram. Diagrams are a very good visual aid, as it can be easier to show something then explain something sometimes.
On the third page, it is devised very simply. The page is split into two parts, one for the article and the other for the advert. In addition, it is still to do with the war on Iraq, as the banner still states that.
Again, at the top of the page are the page number, the papers web site address, and the masthead and the date. These are on every page inside the paper, apart from the front.
The top half is the article. It is set out in a linear sequence, headline, pictures/diagrams and the actual story.
The bottom half is the advert. The advert is massive (half of A3). Again the company of this advert, which is Llyods TSB, has to pay for it, and as it is in colour and huge, the cost will be quite a lot.
The whole page is in colour, unlike page two. However, there isn’t a lot of writing this time, and also it is a lot more simpler. It just wants to give you the main points, mainly through the pictures.
This layout means that the stylistic features are at a minimum. The pictures are huge, and interesting and in colour.
The story has been continued from the last page, which must mean that this topic has a lot to say and possibly many points of view. However, every paper wants to portray things in a different way. One problem with the media is that they can spin things. This means looking from a different point of view, to make something look better or worse. For example, a newspaper could say that smoking kills you prematurely, and give you a statistic of 40+ year olds dieing due to smoke related illnesses of 10,000 per year in the world. However another paper could say, the total number of people that die a year is 10,000,000 people per year in the world, and the amount that die due to smoke related illnesses is only 10,000, only 1/1000 the total. If you put it like that then it does not sound that bad.
On the fourth page, it has many similarities with page two. It especially can be seen in the layout.
On the page there is only one story, still do to with the war on Iraq, as the banner is still at the top. It is also back in black and white. Possible to save money, or possible because it has more writing in this one.
The picture in the middle of the article creates a focal point. This is still towards the top of the page where the article starts, and so the reader is still looking at the beginning of the story.
Exactly alike in page two, there is a fact-file. However, this time it has no pictures/diagrams, but instead is just in words. The quotes of the fact-file are not in bold, but the story behind them is in bold. This makes them easier to tell when the quote has ended.
At the bottom are two adverts. A column of the article separates them. This could be because people may get confused if the two adverts where directly next to each other or because the companies want there own space on the page.
The style of this page is quite plain. It is in black and white and size and bold type are used to vary the lettering.
As I have shown, the newspapers can show and present information in many ways. By using different styles, different emotions can be shown. By using different layouts, importance can be seen. As I said before, media is all around us. It allows us to have a say in the world today, and to help us understand the events that we cannot see with our own eyes. The media works on trust, as it is the only thing we have to find out the issues we ourselves cannot experience with our own eyes.
