Newspapers: The Times - Language and Representations

The first part of our main case study for The Times is focusing on Media Language and Representations.

Here are your two CSP pages for The Times:

The Times: notes

Media language

Language: The Times tends to attract an audience that is older and more traditional (Conservative politics), so the stories are targeted towards these values and beliefs to target their specific audience. 

Mode of address: The Times employs a formal style with advanced language to reflect the needs/education level of the audience.

Construction: The Times uses some layout design techniques to attract its audience (sell lines, kickers, pugs).  There are usually not as many as The Mirror, though.

Technical Codes: Whilst The Times employs colour, it is much more understated than the tabloid Mirror.  More traditional fonts, styles and sizes reinforce this traditional symbolism.

Conventions: The Times observes more traditional codes and conventions than the Daily Mirror, with less direct address and a more formal, authoritative tone as if giving the reader less active participation and more passive access to information.

The Times: Representation notes

Front page

Some key aspects of the representation on the front page:

• By using the crest in its masthead, the newspaper is associating itself with being British and part of an established heritage and tradition.
• Reflects the Times's position as patriotic and a traditional supporter of the Conservative party with a story about a row with French President Emmanuel Macron. Also prioritises Prime Minister Boris Johnson's message for the COP26 summit in Glasgow.
• Kicker focuses on the super rich and their struggles to find staff. This is sympathetic to very rich people and also suggests to Times readers that the super rich are important and should feature on the front cover.

Inside page

Some key aspects of the representation on the inside page:

• Climate change story is surprising and subverts what we might normally expect in the Times. The headline is sympathetic to young people and suggests they are 'right to be angry'. Perhaps appeals to 
• Image shows Alok Sharma (Conservative) as powerful and authoritative with low-angle shot and globe in background. 
• Second story is about travel delays due to a storm - a link to extreme weather and climate change.
• Main image has an advert in the background saying 'No time for delays' - this is a joke (the passengers are all delayed) but also a reference to Boris Johnson's message to COP26. 
• Inside page also has an advert for Times Radio which shows how the Times is trying to move to a multi-platform approach reflecting the digital media landscape.

Politics

The Times generally supports the Conservative Party and is against the more leftwing Labour Party. The newspaper will often act as a voice for the establishment (the wealthy and powerful) and will not support anything that threatens major changes to the status quo (how things currently are). This can be found in the front cover of the Times we need to study.

Blog tasks: The Times - Language and Representations

Work through the following questions to make sure you are fully prepared for questions on the Times and the newspaper industry.

Language

1) What is the main story on the front cover of the Times CSP edition and why does it appeal to Times readers?

2) List the other news stories and kickers on the front page of the Times CSP edition. Why do you think the Times selected these for the front page?

3) What is the main story on the inside page of the Times CSP edition and how is it constructed to appeal to Times readers? 

4) How are the Times front and inside pages designed to reflect broadsheet newspaper conventions?

5) What does a close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggest about the Times's political beliefs?

Representations

1) What representation of the Conservative Party can be found in the main story on the front page?

2) What representations of Britain can be found on the front of the Times?

3) How are the super rich represented on the Times front page?

4) How is climate change represented as an issue in the Times? Are there similarities or differences with how it is represented in the Daily Mirror?

5) What representations can you find in the inside pages of the Times CSP? Focus on headlines, articles and images.

Grade 8/9 extension tasks

Read this feature on how UK newspapers report on climate change as an issue. What does it suggest about how climate change is represented and can you find any reference to the Times? 

If you're interested in this topic, this Wikipedia page outlines media coverage of climate change over the last 30 years.

Due date: on Google Classroom