Compare and contrast three media articles all depicting the same news item

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Compare and contrast three media articles all depicting the same news item

People read articles everyday but opinions and form opinions based on what they read. Broad sheets, tabloids and newsmagazines will have their own angles and views about same events. Our opinions are biased on the type of language, text, layout, images, what is emphasised, and what is left out, and how biased the article is. The Mirror (a tabloid), The Times (a broad sheet) and Newsweek a news magazine have all reported on the cable car accident which took place on the slopes of Mt Cermis on the 3rd February 1998. A low flying U.S. military aeroplane cut the cable wire, which caused the car to fall 300ft to the ground killing everyone in it. The three articles are reported in the distinctive styles of their genres.

There are many differences between broad sheets and tabloids. The most obvious difference is that the page size of a tabloid is A3, and that of a broad sheet is double this. Other differences are that tabloids use larger pictures and broad sheets more text.

All broad sheet newspapers include business and financial news that give an in depth analysis of what is happening in domestic and international economies. Often this is a pullout section. Financial and economic news is reported in tabloids, but it is more of a report of information rather than an analysis.

International news is also given more emphasis in broad sheets than tabloids. This is why broad sheets are considered a more ‘serious’ paper than tabloids, because tabloids concentrate on featuring celebrities, gossip, and human-interest stories. Whereas broad sheets are read for updates on political and current affairs, tabloids are notorious for their sexual content. Tabloids also have a reputation for being a ‘lads’’ paper; this is perhaps the reason why they have a bigger sports section.

The differences mentioned above clearly show that the broad sheet is a more difficult and thought provoking read. This is reflected in the intended reading age of each paper. The vocabulary used in The Guardian is aimed at people with a reading age of sixteen and above. The Daily Express uses vocabulary that can be easily understood by a younger readership. The Sun, which is a tabloid, has a reading age of seven. This clearly indicates that tabloids are supposed to be simple so that they can be read and understood by anyone without much effort.

The language in The Mirror is more casual. Easy to understand and also very dramatic. The Times uses more formal language and the Newsweek is generally in between the two. Each has its own styles this is best shown in the heading.

The heading of The Mirror and The Times come across as being similar. The Times states “20 die in cable car after jet cuts wire,” and The Mirror reports “20 skiers killed as jet slices cable car wire.” However each headline can have a different effect on the reader. The use of the word `killed` makes the accident seem more unjust and tragic than simply using “die.” The Times says the deaths occur “after” the jet “cuts” the cable wire where as in The Mirror headline we are told they occur “as” the jet “slices” the wire. The Mirror gives us the impression as if the accidental was more sudden and unanticipated therefore making it more horrific. The subheading of The Mirror is “Brits tell of horror in snow” which adds to the drama and instantly indicates that the article is based on the eyewitness accounts and is going to be fairly biased.

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The Newsweek heading is “Blood on snow” which is very different from the main heading of the other two newspapers. Together with the subheading “After a U.S. fighter jet clips a gondola’s cable killing 20 Europe questions America’s character,”

the reader should immediately recognise the angle from which the article is written and the fact that it is biased.

The imagery conjured up by the heading is very powerful. The colour of snow is white which symbolises purity. When we picture the deep red bloodstains splattered on pure white, this represents the murder and the tragic, horrific deaths ...

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