SET PRODUCT-THE TIMES

Google Slides Presentation

13th March 2019

PRODUCT CONTEXT:

The Times newspaper is a British national ‘quality’ newspaper first published in 1785. 

The Times has been published by Times Newspapers since 1981,  a subsidiary of News UK, wholly owned by News Corp, Rupert Murdoch’s company.

This edition was published on March 13th, 2019, after Theresa May had encountered another Commons defeat over her Brexit proposals.

The Times is famous for having a range of journalists with varied political viewpoints which allows the newspaper to offer a more neutral political stance on Brexit negotiations.

PART 1: STARTING POINTS – Media language and representation 

Media Language and Political Context

On 23rd June 2016, citizens of the UK voted to leave the European Union (EU). This was nicknamed ‘Brexit’. The vote was very close with 51.9% voting leave and 48.1% voting remain. The controversies from the campaign continued even after the vote. Remainers accused leave voters of xenophobia and racism; leavers accused remainers of being unpatriotic and un-democratic. The period since the referendum has been one of political turmoil. Following the resignation of David Cameron shortly after the vote, Theresa May has faced regular leadership challenges from within her own party, and a snap general election in 2017 in which which her party suffered heavy losses. Meanwhile, she had been regularly visiting Brussels and other EU countries in an effort to create a Brexit deal that will satisfy both the EU and the UK parliament On the date this edition of the Times was published, MPs had voted against the deal she had negotiated with the EU. This was very serious as the UK was scheduled to be leaving the EU in just ten days. Withdrawing from the EU with ‘no deal’ could have catastrophic consequences on trade, immigration, healthcare etc. affecting all UK citizens. 

Cultural context 

Horse racing meets like Ascot and Cheltenham are an iconic part of British culture, often associated with the upper classes. 

The contemporary audience can be assumed to be familiar with the codes and conventions of newspaper front pages and the mode of address that these newspapers present to their readers. 

The layout of the broadsheet newspaper usually has one main story, with lots of details, then smaller headlines at the bottom. 

Front Page

 The central image is a close-up photograph of Theresa May looking distraught. She has a pained facial expression and dark rings under her eyes which denote high emotions and possible lack of sleep. 

• The headline anchors this by making the defeat of her Brexit proposals into something more personal and emotional than political and factual. This is an attempt to narrate what is a quite ‘dry’ story. It fulfils the news value of ‘personalisation’ where politicians become characters we may empathise with (even if we don’t agree with their politics). 

• Though the smaller headlines above the main offer a bigger picture, the last still focuses on May as an individual. • The ‘In the news’ stories at the bottom of the page also supply some global context for the main story: financial, environmental and travel news are topics The Times’ audience is interested in.

• Most of the print is black on white, which connotes the seriousness of the content. The fashion feature ‘puff box’ at the top of the page is in a paler, pastel colour that is more feminine and also less serious. 

• The strapline ‘Britain’s Most Trusted Newspaper’ draws on the Times’ long history and reputation as a quality brand that will give readers a range of viewpoints on serious issues. The heraldic style logo reinforces this.

Theoretical Perspective

Semiotics – Saussure The photograph appears to be taken through a car window (there is a shadow of a rearview mirror in the foreground and the ‘Driven To Despair’ is a pun). The connotation of this kind of shot is that they are un-posed and often private situations that the photographer has managed to capture. The framing suggests a candor to the photo. This emphasises the emotional and personalised framing for the story.

Narrative ‐ Propp This style takes a complex political debate (described in factual detail in the body of the text) and turns into a dramatic incident, an emotional incident for a ‘character’ (May). Candidates could look at Vladmir Propp’s 32 ‘narratemes’ and select those which this story seem to be playing out.

Feminist theory ‐ Van Zoonen Van Zoonen suggested that women are often portrayed as sexualised, weak or vulnerable in the media. 

Though Theresa May is shown as vulnerable, the image used also suggests defiance in the face of adversity; she is not sexualised (compare to the infamous Daily Mail ‘legs-it’ headline). 

Also, even though the reader may not agree with her political actions, May is a high profile, very powerful woman who is often portrayed battling against privileged male politicians. 

This kind of woman is rarely seen in the media, especially within current affairs, and Van Zoonen would suggest that despite her politics many women would aspire to her status. 

The personal tone of the headline and photo build this sense of intimacy.

STARTING POINTS: representation

• The photograph could be interpreted as representing May as a stereotypical • woman: emotional, vulnerable and easily upset. However, the ‘candid’ (almost invasive) framing of the photo also suggests she is allowing her feelings to show in private, whereas in public she is more controlled. 

• Female politicians often find it challenging to show they are both strong, capable leaders and caring and warm human beings. One rival MP said May wouldn’t make a good Prime Minister because she doesn’t have children! If they come across as too ‘masculine’ female politicians can lose supporters, something male politicians don’t seem to worry about.

• The language of the headline also focuses on May’s emotions rather than her political achievements  However, the tone suggests that she is justified in feeling this way.