Media (2)

Chapter 16

Xiao Huiyun

December. 2005

Introduction

The growth of mass circulation news-papers in Britain was a direct result of the process of industrialisation during the 18th and 19th centuries.

During the 18th century, newspaper readership had been largely confined to the upper classes and wealthier sections of the middle class

In the early years the newspaper industry was subject to a great deal of govern-mental control

Introduction

However, in the years following the French Revolution (1789), a radical press developed in Britain, concerned to propagate ideas of social reform and social justice.

The radical papers were developing at the same time as the Trade Unions, and were often used as their mouthpieces and as a means of political education.

National Newspapers

The GuardianThe Observer.co.ukThe IndependentThe Times The Sunday Times Daily TelegraphFinancial TimesDaily ExpressDaily MailDaily Mirror Sunday Mirror Daily StarNews of The WorldThe Sun

Ownership– from Press Barons to Media Moghuls Private, not public , ownership The press in Britain, unlike broadcasting, has

always been wholly privately owned and thus is a commercial enterprise rather than a public service .

At the beginning of this century newspaper ownership was in the hands of powerful men, such as Lord Northcliffe, who were known as Press Barons. They were in the newspaper business both to make money and, to be influential.

Ownership– from Press Barons to Media Moghuls Commercial media ownership has

increasingly tended towards concentration and conglomeration .

News International (see p 259) is one example of a global multi - media conglomerate.

Its owner, Rupert Murdoch, also has interests in computer software, energy and transport, as well as book publishing

How the Press is Funded

The two main sources of revenue are : the cover price : the tabloids are

cheaper but, because of their wider circulation, a larger percentage of their revenue comes from this source;

advertising : this is the main source of revenue for most publications

 

The Code of Advertising Practice

Advertising in the press has to conform to certain standards of the Code of Advertising Practice.

The Code’s basic principles require adverts to be:

legal , honest and truthful to observe a sense of responsibility to the

consumer and society to conform to the principles of fair

competition as generally accepted in business

Types of Newspapers -- Range

There are 10 major national daily papers and 10 major Sunday papers, and about 2,000 smaller weekly papers .

More national and regional daily newspapers are sold in Britain than in most other developed countries.

Other examples are: Provincial Mornings , Local Evenings , Local weeklies , Political Press , Community Press , etc

 

Quality Press and Popular Press

The two types of papers are different in cost, size, content, style and purpose. P260

Quality papers -- Telegraph, Independent, Guardian, The Times, Financial Times, Sunday Telegraph, Observer

Popular papers --Sun, Mirror, Express, Mail, Star, News of the World, Sunday Mirror, Sunday Express, Mail on Sunday, Sunday People, News on Sunday

Quality Press and Popular Press

The quality papers are serious, with long informative articles

The popular papers are less serious, contain less news and have more human interest stories.

The quality papers contain about 45 pages ), the quality papers (tabloids) about 60.

Some of the quality papers have weekend magazine supplements, with special interest articles on food, travel and leisure activities

Tabloids often contain national bingo games Some are also famous for their photographs of topless women

Who Reads What?

Tabloid readers are usually from the middle or lower class, only slightly more male readers than female, clerical, skilled or unskilled workers, unemployed, old people and pensioners

Quality paper readers are usually from the middle-class, professional and managerial jobs, more male readers than female, and more live in the South of England.

Circulation of some National Dailies

4.22

3.16

1.761.64

1.13 1.13

0.44 0.44 0.39

0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

4.00

5.00

SUN MI RROR MAI L EXPRESS EXPRESS TELEGRAPHGUARDI ANTHE TI MESI NDEPENDENT

Ci rcul ati on

Influences on the Press

The press differs from broadcasting in the following ways:

It is a self-regulating industry with no governmental regulation.

There is little regulation of content, within certain legal constraints (see below)

There is no obligation to give a balanced account Nevertheless there are financial, professional and

legal constraints operating upon the industry (see diagram, p262)

Influences on the Press

There is complex involvement at all levels: Owners have financial control but also have other business

interests. Advertisers have control of their bought space. Editors, appointed by owners, select stories and news Journalists find the stories and write the articles which are

then subject to editorial review. Editors and journalists have to take account of the laws of

libel. Newspapers do not want to alienate their readers.

Regulation of the Press

the Press Complaints Commission -- made up of editors of newspapers and magazines and people outside the industry.

It deals with complaints from the public about the contents and conduct of the newspapers and advises editors and journalists

It has a code of practice agreed by editors concerning journalist’s behaviour, references to contentious issues such as race and religion and respect for privacy.

Its aim is to try to guarantee accuracy and fairness of reporting.

The press, politics and bias

The majority of the press in Britain shows a bias towards conservative values in general .

Because it does not have to remain neutral on political issues it is easier to find evidence of political bias in newspapers than in broadcasting.

the national newspapers are biased towards certain political views. The Daily Telegraph, the Sun, Daily Mail, and Daily Express usually more overtly support the Conservative Party;

the Mirror and News on Sunday usually support the policies of the Labour Party .

Other papers such as the Guardian, Independent and Today occupy a middle ground in the political spectrum.

Freedom of the press

In a free press there often arises conflict between the principles of freedom of access to information and its publication in the interests of the public, and the degree of reasonable protection for the privacy of the individual or of the state.

a) Privacy and the laws of libel the National Union of Journalists Code of

Conduct ; libel laws, the Obscene Publications

Freedom of the press

b) Freedom of information and national security

Journalists in Britain often find that it is difficult to report on matters of state if the Government feels it would be against the ‘national interest’

The Freedom of Information Act 2000 The Official Secrets Act