1 Scottish Daily Newspapers Categories & Language

2 Medium Medium is print so: –Laying out text and graphics on pages –Needs software such as word processor, digital imaging, DTP –(For classroom) needs technology such as PCs, file server, internet access, colour printers, scanners, digital cameras, memory sticks Medium is WWW so: –Material can be repurposed & archived on website –(For classroom) need web design software

3 Form 1 Newspaper so: –Columns, grids, modular layouts used –House style for graphics, fonts, language, spelling –Governed by UK and Scots laws: Libel, Contempt of Court Act, Official Secrets Act, Copyright Designs and Patents Act –Self regulation by Press Complaints Commission –Journalistic codes e.g. NUJ Code of Practice

4 Form 2 Newspaper so: –Journalists and copy tasters use news values for selecting stories –Idea of target readership used to select and treat stories –News journalism need not be impartial as required by public service broadcasters in UK –Stories selected and treated to fit political stance and campaigns of the newspaper

5 Purpose To make a profit through sales and selling advertising space To propagate particular political viewpoints To inform, educate, entertain, confirm readers’ opinions/beliefs To act as a ‘public sphere’ for free debate of public issues To criticise and investigate the powerful

6 Scottish Daily Newspaper Market Very competitive market 15 titles Can categorise in various ways: –Market sector in terms of social class (->genre) – Geographical market (->mode of address)

7 Social Grades NRS/JICNARS: Based on income of chief income earner in home Social Grade/Social StatusCIE's Occupation AUpper Middle ClassHigher managerial, administrative or professional BMiddle ClassIntermediate managerial, administrative or professional C1Lower Middle ClassSupervisory or clerical and junior managerial administrative or professional C2Skilled Working ClassSkilled manual workers DWorking ClassSemi and unskilled manual workers EThose at lowest levelsState pensioners (no other earnings), those on social security benefit, casual workers

8 Mass Market Dailies Readers ABC1:C2DE36%:64% Average age43 Male:female57%:43% Degree-educated7% Sales Total6.1m Scotland0.9m Average price35p (50p Sat)

9 Mid-Market Dailies Readers ABC1:C2DE65%:35% Average age50 Male:female49%:51% Degree-educated15% Sales Total3.3m Scotland0.38m Average price39p (54p Sat)

10 Up-market Dailies Readers ABC1:C2DE89%:11% Average age47 Male:female58%:42% Degree-educated38% Sales Total2.8m Scotland0.23m Average price66p (107p Sat)

11 Summary CategoryMass-marketMid-marketUp-market ABC1:C2DE36%:64%65%:35%89%:11% Average age Male:female57%:43%49%:51%58%:42% Degree-educated7%15%38% Total sales6.1m3.3m2.8m Scotland sales0.9m0.38m0.23m Average price35p (50p Sat)39p (54p Sat)66p (107p Sat)

12 Other categories Scottish i.e. Daily Record, Courier, Press & Journal, Scotsman, Herald –expect Scottish mode of address Anglo-Scottish (editionised) i.e. Scottish Sun, Daily Star of Scotland, Scottish Daily Mail, Scottish Daily Express –expect Scottish and Anglo-British modes of address Anglo-centric i.e. Times, Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Independent, Financial Times –expect Anglo-British mode of address City-centric: Herald (Glasgow), Scotsman (Edinburgh), Press & Journal (Aberdeen), Courier (Dundee)

13 Scotticising mastheads

14 Genre conventions 1 GenreMass marketMid-marketUp-market MastheadRed-tops at left with sans serif text Across page (Old English or serif or sans serif) Across page (serif or Old English) Page sizeTabloidTabloid or broadsheet; broadsheets have ad(s) on front page Tabloid (compact), Berliner or broadsheet); broadsheets/ Berliner have ad(s) on front page

15 Genre conventions 2 GenreMass marketMid-marketUp-market Front page1-3 stories with screamer sans serif headline &/or large photo(s); puffs to right of masthead 1-3 stories with screamer serif headline &/or large photo(s); puffs to above &/or below masthead Text dominates (exc. Scotsman); headlines in serif (exc. Herald) Front page body One sentence paragraphs; kicker in bold One sentence paragraphs; kicker in bold (exc. Courier lead story in bold) Long sentences in paragraphs of more than one sentence

16 Genre conventions 3 GenreMass marketMid-marketUp-market ToneSensational, titillating, indignant, comic, human interest Indignant, serious, human/public interest Serious, public interest

17 Mass market/Up-market English Mass market newspapers Stories treated using a personal, individual framework i.e. everything in the world can be understood in the ways that we understand our lives in families, with friends or at work Informal language used and reflects how we speak in these private domains Simple language used with shorter paragraphs (one sentence per paragraph in mass-market); Few difficult words Popular culture references Puns, alliteration, nicknames Up-market newspapers Stories treated using a public, institutional framework which is separate from the private domain Formal language used and reflects how one speaks and writes in public life Complex language use Some difficult words High culture references

18 Use of English Language will reflect editorial line &/or angle Headlines often use present tense to connote immediacy; stories will use past tense Generally active rather than passive voice (“Man bites dog” rather than “The dog was bitten by the man” Figures of speech: puns, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification Metaphors: POLITICS is WAR, PAEDOPHILES are ANIMALS/INHUMAN Wandering ‘we’ – may mean ‘We Scots’, ‘We British’ News story structure: headline + lead paragraph (5Ws)+ explanation (missing Ws & how) + amplification + wrap up (resolution/enigma) (allows easy sub-edit)

19 Representation Stereotyping: –Woman as sex object –National stereotypes ‘Us’ v ‘them’ –‘Us’ (Scotland, Britain, the West, ordinary people, the community) –‘Them’ (England, Europe, terrorists, authority, criminals)

20 Bibliography Bonnington A.J., McKain B. and McInnes R. Scots Law for Journalists (7 th edition) Edinburgh: W. Green. Evans, H. (1978) Pictures on a Page. London: Pimlico. Hodgson, F.W. (1998) New Subediting (3 rd edition). Oxford: Focal Press. Keeble, R. (ed.) (2005) Print Journalism. London: Routledge. Quinn, S. (2001) Digital Sub-editing and Design. Oxford: Focal Press. Rudin, R. and Ibbotson, T. (2002) An Introduction to Journalism. Oxford: Focal Press.