Audience and News Values

The Sun’s Target Audience Male - heavy coverage of sport, particularly football; page 3 and other “sexist” portrayals of women).  There is some content that is ‘woman friendly’ (celebrity content). 16+ - simplistic coverage, celebrity content, titillating stories. White British– possible negative representations of ethnic minorities, xenophobic? or nationalistic attitude? Patriotic stories. Working Class/C2DE – price (40p), very little serious political coverage, focus on show business/sensational stories, 20%of the paper about sport with an emphasis on football, the size is convenient. Fairly right wing political views (political content). Value and Attitudes: ‘Mainstreamers’, ‘Strugglers’ and ‘Resigned’. Illustrated through advertising.

The Sun’s Target Audience What mode of address do you think The Sun uses? How can you relate this to the target audience? Male - heavy coverage of sport, particularly football; page 3 and other “sexist” portrayals of women).  There is some content that is ‘woman friendly’ (celebrity content). 16+ - simplistic coverage, celebrity content, titillating stories. White British– possible negative representations of ethnic minorities, xenophobic? or nationalistic attitude? Patriotic stories. Working Class/C2DE – price (40p), very little serious political coverage, focus on show business/sensational stories, 20%of the paper about sport with an emphasis on football, the size is convenient. Fairly right wing political views (political content). Value and Attitudes: ‘Mainstreamers’, ‘Strugglers’ and ‘Resigned’. Illustrated through advertising.

Readership and Circulation http://www.newsworks.org.uk/The-Sun Average daily circulation for The Sun (print) in 2016 was 1,722,145. Highest daily circulation in Britain. Tagline – ‘For a greater Britain’.

Swap with a peer and add to your own research Research a range of newspaper titles and analyse their audience figures – create a detailed audience profile on two other newspapers. Choose one of these and analyse how the front cover attracts the specific target audience that you have identified.

The Sun and Audience http://newscommercial.co.uk/thesun/audience-insight

WALT: Understand David Morley’s Reception Theory Apply Reception Theory by writing a letter suggesting why your character has taken a certain stance on The Sun.

If this is the answer, what is the question? David Morley

Theories of Audience Response Reception Theory suggests that: Audiences are active – we actively interpret the meaning of a media text rather than it being ‘injected’ into us. Readers will interpret a media text differently based on individual cultural background and life experiences – including their demographic profile (age, gender etc.) and personal hobbies and interests (Psychographics/VALS).

Audience Response Theories Passive: How the media affects audiences Hypodermic Needle Model 2 Step Flow Theory Uses and Gratifications Model Reception Theory Active: What the audience do with/to media texts

Reception Theory: 3 Readings Dominant reading: The viewer enjoys the text and accepts it’s meaning, ethics, philosophy and assumptions. They take the ‘preferred reading’ i.e. what the producer intended. (For example, this could be a viewer taking a BBC news bulletin as wholly truthful and unbiased) Negotiated reading The viewer is more neutral to the text; partially accepting the favoured reading. But at the same time, having accepted the reading, modifications are done to mirror the viewer’s position and interest. (For example, this could be someone watching The X Factor for entertainment purposes but rejects the idea that it is a fair and unbiased - the viewer thinks the programme is manipulated yet amusing). Oppositional reading The viewers dislikes the text, and totally rejects the text’s meaning and values, as well as rejecting the preferred reading.

Task: 25 minutes Each group will pick one profile and write a response to The Sun: Dominant readers will write to congratulate NewsUK (owners of The Sun), detailing why they love the paper and its values. Negotiated readers will write a blog-style post suggesting reasons why they do and don’t like The Sun. Oppositional readers will write to the PCC (Press Complaints Commission) suggesting reasons why they dislike The Sun and disagree with its values. Extension Task: Write a reply from The Sun newspaper Resources –The Sun website, target audience notes from last lesson, target audience PowerPoint on website, homework research and prompt questions

Brexit standpoints http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/0/heres-where-britains- newspapers-stand-on-the-eu-referendum/

Blumler and Katz et al. (1987) Common reasons for media use.

Personal Identity finding reinforcement for personal values finding models of behaviour identifying with valued other (in the media)  gaining insight into one's self

Information finding out about relevant events and conditions in immediate surroundings, society and the world seeking advice on practical matters or opinion and decision choices satisfying curiosity and general interest learning; self-education gaining a sense of security through knowledge

Entertainment/Escape escaping, or being diverted, from problems relaxing getting intrinsic cultural or aesthetic enjoyment filling time emotional release sexual arousal

Social Interaction gaining insight into circumstances of others; social empathy identifying with others and gaining a sense of belonging finding a basis for conversation and social interaction having a substitute for real-life companionship helping to carry out social roles enabling one to connect with family, friends and society

Homework task http://visual- memory.co.uk/daniel/Documents/short/morleynw.html Read this article for discussion at the start of next week’s lesson. You must have taken notes from your reading (key quotes that can be utilised in revision and coursework analysis).