The headline in my two papers also differs. The tabloid paper headline, ‘Students earn as they learn’, is larger in text size but is short and snappy although not as informative about the story. This is because many tabloid readers look for a more attractive headline that has been spruced up by possibly rhyme or alliteration. My broadsheet headline, ‘Students paid in daring new scheme’, shows more informative information about the story by talking of a ‘scheme’, it also supplies an opinion by using the word ‘daring’, to draw the reader in.
Although there is only one story in both my papers the position of certain stories in both tabloid and broadsheet papers are important. Tabloid readers tend to be more interested in human interest of gossip and so celebratory stories are often front page news although there will be small stories at the back of the broadsheet paper if in it at all. This is because the broadsheet readers are more interested in world affairs (e.g. War, famine) and so these must be front-page news for the paper to sell.
The text used in the two papers also differs. The word, ‘sponsor’, is used in my broadsheet paper rather than ‘pay’ as this conveys the bias of the paper which is in favour of the scheme, and also gives a slightly more sophisticated feel to the story. A reason for the bias, perhaps, could be the scheme that is suggested in the story, which talks of children being sponsored or paid to take a further education. Now many broadsheet readers tend to be quite well-off as they buy the papers to read the part on shares and find out how their businesses are doing, so they will probably have had a very good education, which will probably have been paid for and so will think the new scholarship scheme is a good idea (money being no real object). So my broadsheet puts the bias for the scheme to sell to its audience.
My tabloid paper on the other hand puts the bias against the scheme because their readers buy the paper not to hear how their shares are doing because they probably haven’t got any, but to hear gossip on celebrities, so they are probably not as well-off and so didn’t have such a good education. This may put them against the scheme as they might think too much money is being spent on well-off schools with schemes that often fall through and use money that could be put to better use in schools that don’t have as much money.
The bias used in my broadsheet paper is a lot subtler than the one given in my tabloid example; I believe this difference is also shown in many other tabloid and broadsheet papers. “And as the sixth-formers at Highdown School informed us there are no obligations for them to join the scheme it is merely there as an option”
My broadsheet example by saying the sixth –formers informed them that there was no obligation it cleverly gets the reader to think that the people from the school the scheme is being introduced in think it’s a good idea.
“Twenty-three students from the area of Reading in Berkshire today made history by joining a shocking new scholarship scheme”.
My tabloid example on the other hand by using the word shocking is very clear in it’s views on the scheme.
The reason for these differences is my tabloid is having to cater possibly for readers who do not wish for depth and also have very polarised views on certain subjects; and so to sell to the tabloid audience I made the bias obvious. This makes the reader excited about the story as this bias helps to over dramatise the article and gives the reader something to agree or disagree with.
My broadsheets bias is subtler as its readers often wish to hear a more balanced view, as they take longer to read and digest the information. And so often want to get an opinion from the facts for themselves.
In the two papers there is also a difference in the style of text used especially in the title. My broadsheet paper has darker text mostly black not so large and a lot more ornate. This type of text conveys a more serious and sophisticated feel. Which coupled with the fact its supplies good factual information on important national and world wide affairs makes it an attractive type of paper for business men and women.
My tabloid text is more colourful and bold with the title ‘Big News’ in bold red letters. This makes the newspaper more eye catching and livens up the story.
The complexity of syntax in my broadsheet and tabloid example also differs. In my broadsheet paper the vocabulary range is wider and more advanced, with phases like, ‘They informed us’ and ‘he explained some of the benefits’, rather than the tabloids rather more simple, ‘he told us’. The reason for this being, as I said before, the broadsheet audience is looking for more depth in the descriptive and factual information in the article.
All these aspects of a newspaper help to highlight the subtle and the more clear differences between my tabloid and my broadsheet paper and also the differences between broadsheet and tabloid generally.