Advertising there are vast amounts of advertising within the tabloid, for example, there are approximately 40-60% of adverts for mobile phones, sofas, holidays, and groceries. Some adverts take up all of the column inches within a page. Again they offer colourful and bold styles, offering “bargain” status. Adverts that mention the words; recession, budget, affordable, this again emanates that the tabloid is for the more money conscious. This is also portrayed in the supplements that are attached to the whole paper. Whereas, the broadsheet offers the more expensive goods such as BMW cars, specific credit cards that can only be gained by higher potential earners. There are similarities in some respect; the both contain supplements that offer services, goods and much more. Again they differ in the classification process.
Photographs/ Visuals/ Use of colour the trend for the tabloid follows the notion of being bright and large both in photographs and pictures. The use of many colours within the tabloid gives a more appealing look, for example, pictures are more brighter, more intrusive and concise images of an actual story or comment. Photographs are more commonly used within the tabloid, thus suggesting either fun and to the point. Again, the broadsheet offers singular pictures, rather than several images to portray the news. This emphasises that the broadsheet is more fact and more formal. The colour scheme is also of a certain tone and colour following each story. This brings attention to the finer points and is less appealing than the actual read.
One specific article, which is stipulated in both newspapers, records the events of the bad weather conditions that parts of Britain endured the day previous. The tabloid heading, “Storm Horror, 5 die as 100 mph winds and rain thrash Britain.” Within this article, a sixth of the page is given as small text, whereas, the article contains five large photographs that show different scenes at different places up and down the country. The article then gives a weather outlook for the rest of the week in brief. Ultimately, the broadsheet gives the heading; “four die as gales batter Britain,” again with pictures but only 3 pictures depicting similar scenes, but again with a tone and colour that stay true through the rest of the articles. The use of language in papers is apparent when colloquial terms are used, as in the tabloid; broadsheet has a wider usage of vocabulary. The text is bold and in capitals within the tabloid and broadsheet much more of a traditional and formal approach.
In conclusion, I am drawn to the fact that, the tabloid offers a more short and concise version of events, offering larger and a multitude of images; contributing to the target audience or the working class audience, the position of the article is more toward the centre of the paper and use of language to be more relaxed, using slang and limited vocabulary this being a more human interest led paper. Finally, the broadsheet offers more in depth, factual approach in relaying the news, offering minimum images to enhance the reading that is required of a more traditional paper. A wider choice of vocabulary is used, again suggesting that the paper is for the more professional or higher classed group of readers. These two articles also showed different accounts to the story; stating “5 die” and “4 die”; this also shows that tabloid and broadsheet newspapers can offer inaccurate information.
Write a short essay of approx 800 words which explores the mass media in society. In your discussion you will need to cover the following points:
- A definition of the term media, together with examples,
- A discussion of the role of the media in modern society with detailed examples of specific texts.
- A brief discussion of the possible influence of the media on society.
In the following evidence, definitions of media will be acknowledged and assessed. This will identify different media forms and the role in which they play. It will also provide target audience information that can determine the roles in which the media influences our society. The media has an impact on people’s lives whether good or bad and this will be examined throughout the essay. Overall, the essay will provide a broader understanding of what constitutes the mass media and the society in which we live.
Firstly, to define the term ‘media’, generally, this can be interpreted as various means or methods of communication, such as television, radio and the newspapers this can also suggest different news reporting agencies. The idea within the term can be expressed in a recipient, to receiver, method of communication, following the path of Sender, channel and receiver. An example would be, ‘News of the World’, through the channel of the papers to the individual reader.
Media forms, such as television, offer three key roles in society which are education, entertainment and information, an example of each of these would be; GCSE bite size, an education programme containing revision guides and assistance, subsequently, Eastenders would be an example of entertainment, a programme offering a wide and varied culture and human interest, open to a multitude of age groups, and the information gathering of BBC news, this offering world news twenty four hours of the day. These examples are built into the BBC charter, the purpose is also to sustain citizenship and civil society, promotion of education and learning, stimulating creativity and cultural excellence, and to represent the UK, its nations, regions and communities and bringing the UK to the world and the world to the UK. The BBC exists to serve the public interest.
The media has an inconspicuous way of influencing its audience, for example family culture often extends to, the sitting around the television as you are watching your favourite programme and bonding together. The media can be can also have an impact on people’s lives, such as our emotions or how we analyse our daily lives and making decisions based on the information passed to us. Whereas newspapers was a dominant medium over the years, television has broadened its scale by entering the digital world, therefore allowing us to communicate in extended ways, ultimately, becoming the spine of global development, but with this in mind, the global reach can be uneven due to economy matters and other issues.
To examine a specific situation which affected a huge amount of people, is the September 11th twin towers plane crashes. The coverage of the incident was breaking and serious news that ultimately affecting the global economy bringing political outrage, community conflicts and ultimately war. The media is still reporting on large stories such like this example. This story effected people in many ways; anger, hatred, remorse, regrets and also silence and still now death continues.
The mass media are important factors of socialization; they offer social norms, beliefs, and values. Looking back in history over twenty years ago, gender was an issue whether relating to mothers being at home and the father at work or female judges and male nurses. Equality has finally come in to fruition with the aid of the mass media.
On reflection and conclusion to define media, this can be interpreted as various means or methods of communication, such as television, radio and the newspapers this can also suggest different news reporting agencies. The ability of identifying different media forms is paramount in the assumption on how the media has influence on modern society today. Specifically, target audience represents all walks of life, but again it is apparent that the reach to all persons can be uneven due to social and economic factors. Ultimately the media can impact and influence people’s lives whether good or bad.
