Q4 Hesmondhalgh or Curran and Seaton / Newspapers

Q3 Technological advances have created a long term decline in the circulation of national newspapers. Explain how the newspaper industry has responded to these changes.

The content below is not prescriptive and all valid points should be credited. It is not expected that responses will include all of the points listed but once again a lot of you have failed to give specific web examples and ways the newspapers are adapting to these changes and the relationship with their audiences. 

AO1:2

Responses will demonstrate knowledge and understanding of contexts of media and their influence on media products and processes including:

 explaining the economics of traditional and online editions of The Guardian and the Daily Mail newspapers (for example, paid for primarily by advertising based on audience number/ demographic as well as direct sales)

 showing the significance of these changes for traditional print editions and online editions and newspaper audiences (e.g. The Guardian focusing on its online content and seeking to develop a donation-based culture; the Mail moving slightly downmarket with clickbait stories hosted on MailOnline; both papers are still seeking to maintain their print editions although these are making a loss)

 explanation of technological convergence and/ or the proliferation of technology and the effect this has had on institutional process and audiences with reference to economic context (for example, The Guardian’s use of email to attract a regular audience; targeted advertising; the need for stories to be published online throughout the day as rolling news) GIVE SPECIFIC EGS

 explaining the economic effect of the decline of traditional print editions, for example, with reference to circulation and yearly sales figures of traditional print versions and the rise of online subscription (neither The Guardian nor the Mail currently operate a paywall, compared to some of their competitors, although there is some debate as to whether this model is sustainable) HOW DOES THE GUARDIAN ASK READERS FOR MONEY?

 explaining the economic implications of how newspapers are in competition for readers and how advertising revenue from the ‘new’ media is vital - GIVE EGS OF ADVERTISERS

 explaining the different platforms used by audiences to access news content from The Guardian and Daily Mail with reference to the growth in online readership (give some numbers) and the impact on how audiences consume news (use of specific social media, websites means many consumers no longer pay for news content). GIVE SPECIFIC EGS.

Assessment 1A

Your assessment will cover some of the media framework - LIA (see the relevant labels) and some of the theories and vocabulary we've studied so far. We haven't done representation yet (R).


A) You will be asked to produce one piece of extended writing - 30 minutes


Areas​ ​that​ ​may​ ​be​ ​covered​ ​(where​ ​applicable);

• The production company behind the media product being analysed.

• How technological change has impacted upon how the product has been produced and how it is available to audiences.
• Audiences

• The genre of the product
• Analysis of camera shots, fonts, text, language - overall mise en scene and semiotics
• Discussion about the forms and conventions of the genre, audience expectations of the genre and whether the genre has evidenced change over time. Is hybridity used? Why (link to the audience)?
• Remember to develop all of the points that you make and support all points with clear evidence from the text (when discussing issues of representation and audience).

B) Then there will be a section of short answers where you will be asked about theories and vocab - 20 minutes

I have sent you a file with all the theorists and the ones you might be tested on will all be from the Language and Industry categories.