Newspapers – Component 1, Section B
Industry and Contexts
This section of the exam assesses:
Knowledge of the theoretical framework of the media (AO1)
Knowledge of contexts and how they impact media products (AO1)
Section Structure (Typically):
This section of the exam contains a mixture of questions
Expect a mixture of (for example) 1 markers, 2 markers, 5
markers, 8/9 markers, 12 markers, and 15 markers
This section typically adds up to 25 marks (for example, a 1
marker, 4 marker, 5 marker and 15 marker)
The question with the most marks in this section will always centre
on contexts and will be synoptic
Synoptic assessment draws together all frameworks and areas of
study – please see page 10 for sample synoptic questions
Set Texts:
Daily Mirror, March 13th, 2019 – red-top tabloid
The Times, March 13th, 2019 – compact broadsheet
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2
3
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Main context of set texts:
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. The set texts were published on
March 13th, 2019, the day after Theresa May had encountered another
Commons defeat over her Brexit proposals.
Political ‘wings’:
Left: liberal, progressive, strive for an equal society, socialist – Green
Party
Centre-left: mostly liberal and progressive but have some ‘neutral’
opinions – Labour
Centre: neutral position, believe in some right wing and some left-wing
policies – Liberal Democrat
Centre-right: mostly conservative and traditionalist but have some
‘neutral’ opinions – Conservatives
Right: very conservative, traditionalist, laissez-faire, believe that a
certain level of social inequality is unavoidable – BNP, UKIP
Context Daily Mirror The Times
Political Centre-left (second Centre-right. One of
most left-wing paper the most central
after The Guardian). newspapers in the UK
As a centre-left-wing that sometimes leans
newspaper, the Daily slightly toward the
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Mirror was (very) right-wing. The Times
critical of the way the is famous for having a
conservative range of journalists
government had been with varied political
handling the Brexit viewpoints
negotiations. They which allows the
were in favour of newspaper to offer a
REMAINING in the more neutral political
EU and mainly stance on Brexit
support Labour. negotiations.
Therefore, they are However, it is slightly
very critical of more sympathetic
Theresa May and toward Theresa May
represent her as a in the set text,
weak leader. especially when
compared to the Daily
Mirror.
Social/cultural Tabloid newspapers Broadsheets often
tend to feature lots of feature more hard
soft news and news and political
infotainment. events. The layout of
Therefore, the broadsheet
newspapers such as newspaper
Daily Mirror often usually has one main
report on soaps, story, with lots of
celebrities, and details,
cultural events. This is then smaller
reflected in the set headlines at the
text with references to bottom. Sometimes
EastEnders and Ascot these centre on soft
racing. news story and
cultural events. Only
Ascot is referenced in
the set text though.
Economic Daily Mirror is owned The Times is owned
by Reach Plc, a by News UK, a
horizontally and subsidiary of News
vertically integrated Corp. News UK is
company who own also horizontally and
other newspapers vertically integrated,
such as Daily Star and owns other
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and Daily Express, national newspapers
and multiple local such as The Sun and
newspapers. They The Sunday Times
also own magazines and the journal TLS
such as OK! – they (Times Literary
are driven by the logic Supplement). News
of profit and power UK’s parent company
(Curran & Seaton). News Corp is owned
by Rupert Murdoch, a
right-wing media
conglomerate. Both
companies are driven
by the logic of profit
and power (Curran &
Seaton).
Theories:
Curran and Seaton, Power & Media: most media organisations are
driven by the logic of profit and power; more diverse ownership leads to
varied media products
Hesmondhalgh, Cultural Industries: media companies try to minimize
risk and maximise profit via integration, stars, genres, and franchises;
large companies are often vertically and horizontally integrated; the
radical potential of the Internet has been lost due to big corporations
being profit-oriented
Livingstone and Lunt, Regulation: tension between regulatory policy
furthering the interest of citizens (protection from harmful material) and
interest of consumers (who want market choice); the rise of online media
has made traditional regulation extremely difficult
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SAMPLE
QUESTIONS
Sample Questions: 1 Marks
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1. Recall the media organisation who owns the Daily Mirror
2. Name the media company who owns The Times
3. Name one media organisation who owns national newspapers
4. Recall one tabloid newspaper
5. Name one broadsheet newspaper
6. Recall the Daily Mirror’s political stance
7. State The Times’ political stance
8. What is a media conglomerate?
9. Name the organisation who regulates the newspaper industry
Sample Questions: 2 Marks
1. Briefly explain what is meant by distribution.
2. Identify two ways in which newspapers are distributed.
3. Briefly explain an advantage of one distribution method.
4. Name both media organisations who own Daily Mirror and The
Times
5. What is a media conglomerate? Explain and provide 1 example.
Sample Questions: 5 Marks – 8 marks:
1. Briefly explain how the UK newspaper industry is regulated
2. Outline how advances in technology have impacted newspaper
regulation in the UK
Sample Questions: 10 Marks:
1. How have recent technological changes had an impact on the
production and distribution of newspapers?
2. How has digital convergence impacted the consumption and
distribution of newspaper?
3. How do patterns of ownership affect newspapers? Refer to one of
your set texts to support your response.
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Sample Synoptic Questions: 15 Marks
1. Explain how ownership shapes media products. Refer to The Daily
Mirror to support your points.
2. Explain how ownership shapes media products. Refer to The
Times to support your points.
3. Outline how political contexts affect the newspaper industry. Refer
to the Daily Mirror to support your points.
4. Outline how political contexts affect the newspaper industry. Refer
to The Times to support your points.
5. Explain how social and cultural contexts affect the content of print
and online news. Refer to the Daily Mirror to support your points.
6. Explain how social and cultural contexts affect the content of print
and online news. Refer to The Times to support your points.
7. Outline how economic contexts impact the newspaper industry.
Use the Daily Mirror to support your points.
8. Outline how economic contexts impact the newspaper industry.
Use The Times to support your points.
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