'Disaster in the Alps'- To compare the way three news publications, The Times, The Mirror and Newsweek, an American weekly news magazine, reported the same incident.

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Assignment Title: 'Disaster in the Alps'- To compare the way three news publications, The Times, The Mirror and Newsweek, an American weekly news magazine, reported the same incident.

        

In my essay, I shall compare the way in which three news publications, The Mirror, an example of the popular press, The Times, an example of the quality press and Newsweek, an American publication reported the same incident. Using these three reports, I shall compare the variations and similarities in the amount of factual information given, the interviews used, the language employed and finally, the layout and presentation of the various articles.

On the 3rd of February 1998, a U.S. military jet sliced the wire of a cable car in the Italian ski resort in the Dolomites in Cavalese. This resulted in the untimely death of 20 tourists and, as suggested by Newsweek, led to increasing doubt over America's reputation and conduct, as well as queries over the regulations of low flying.

The primary differences are that the two British publications, The Mirror and The Times, contained articles that were published one day after the disaster, on the 4th February 1998, whereas in Newsweek, the article was published 13 days, almost two weeks later. This was because the purpose of the article in Newsweek differed to that of The Mirror and The Times.

The Times and The Mirror contrast in style and this is accomplished in numerous ways. For example, The Mirror, a tabloid paper, and a popular press, include headlines, which are colloquial, emotional and bold. Its main objective is to describe and narrate in a moving and often hyperbolic manner. Also, the text is generally short with simple graphics and subheadings. Furthermore, there is usually use of alliteration to produce drama and memorability. In contrast, in The Times, the features are much more informative rather than emotive or sensational. The tone is much more factual and is not as colloquial as popular press. The sentences are usually quite complex; hence the paragraphs are quite lengthy. The graphics are usually informative rather than biased or seeking attention. Moreover, in The Times, the sound effects would usually be limited to puns. Foreign publications, such as Newsweek, generally contain features of both popular press and quality press.

The Mirror contained quite a lot of factual information. The article informed the readership that "20 skiers" "plunged 300ft to their deaths" after a low-flying American "warplane" "sliced through the wire of their cable car." Similarly, The Times and Newsweek also provided this information. The article in The Times stated "Twenty people fell three hundred feet to their death" when an "American military aircraft" "sliced the steel wire supporting a cable car carrying skiers." Like the other two articles, the article in Newsweek established that a "U.S. fighter jet" had "clipped two cable cars" and sent a "gondola full of skiers tumbling to the ground." All three articles also confirmed that there were "twenty" victims. The Mirror and Newsweek gave more detail about this aspect. The Mirror stated that the victims were "nine women, 10 men and one child." Newsweek also stated that the "tourists" originated from "seven European countries."

All three articles established that the aircraft involved in the incident was an American Marine Corps EA-6B Prowler." In each article, a portion of the factual information was regarding the regulations concerning of low flying. For instance, the article in The Mirror said that there were investigations amid allegations that the pilot of the aircraft flew "illegally low." Additionally, the article informed us that local residents had "complained" about "low flying planes." In the same way, both The Times and Newsweek reiterated this information- The Times stated that the aircraft's altitude was adequate enough to enable the pilots to observe the ground and "avoid obstacles." Newsweek claimed that low flying flight training is very "problematic" and needs to be rectified.

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The Mirror described the incident and the following scenario; the Prowler "screamed down the valley", "ripped through the wire" and sent the car "crashing" onto the "wooded mountainside." The article also said that the "huge metal hook" smashed down through the roof." Similarly, the article in The Times stated that the aircraft had "appeared to be gaining height when it hit the cable." The article also said that part of the cable car wreckage was "scattered across the mountain." The description in Newsweek was not as detailed as in the other two articles. Nevertheless, Newsweek stated that a "U.S. fighter jet clipped two cables" ...

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