The Times case study (Language, Audience, Industries, Representation)

Intro questions

1) What year was The Times founded and when did it start using the Times name?

1785

2) What content did John Walter suggest the paper would offer in the first edition?

To support both political parties and cover contending issues fairly.

3) What does the page say about the political views in The Times? 

The Times has supported both New Labour and the Conservatives in recent times and supported Remain in the 2016 EU referendum.

4) Who owns The Times today and how is editorial integrity protected?

 Times Newspapers Limited, both papers introduced digital subscriptions in 2010 to help ensure a sustainable future for their journalism.

5) What did The Times introduce in 2010 and why?

Digital subscriptions.

6) What was The Times named in 2018 by the Reuters Institute for Journalism at Oxford University?

Britain’s most trusted national newspaper

7) What does the section on Editorial Standards say about The Times and newspaper regulation?

That they take complaints about editorial content seriously. 

8) What does the section on Ownership say about The Times and who is the current editor? 

News UK & Ireland is part of News Corp, a global diversified media business. 

The Times & The Sunday Times are published by Times Newspapers Limited, part of News UK & Ireland Ltd.

Language

1) What is the main story on the front cover of the Times CSP edition (26 April 2019) and why does it appeal to Times readers?

About fee-paying schools saving taxpayers £20 million, its appealing because the audience send their children to fee-paying schools

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?

sleep well- things really get better, top ministers deny security leak, the royal family.

3) What are the main stories on the inside pages of the Times CSP edition and how are they constructed to appeal to Times readers? 

royal family, Sri Lanka tourists warned of terror

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

The times are a conservative based newspaper and fully support the PM 

Audience

1) What is the main readership demographic for The Times newspaper? Add as much detail as you can.

Older generations, conservative party supporters, tories.

2) What aspects of the front page of the Times CSP edition suggest that their readers are likely to be more educated and interested in hard news rather than entertainment?

The use of serif font and the main story about private schools suggest most of the readers did go to a private school.

3) Times readers are mostly over 55 years old. Why is this and how is this reflected by the new stories and kickers in the CSP pages we have studied?  

The stories all have to do with politics which older generations are mostly interested in.

4) What is the main audience pleasure offered by the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory.

5) Why might a reader enjoy this CSP edition of the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory categories and write as detailed an analysis as you can.

Representation

1) What representation of private schools can be found on the main front page story of the Times?

That private schools help everyone and that more people should be paying for private schools.

2) What representation of the Conservative Party can be found in the story at the top of the front page 'Calls for criminal enquiry as top ministers deny security leak'?

That the ministers are in the right and did nothing wrong, Its protecting the ministers.

3) How are the Royal Family represented in the Times? (See front page 'Fitting tribute' - Duchess of Cambridge picture and the inside page 'Royal Anzac Day on both sides of the world'). 

They are represented as the most important family in the UK.

4) How does the coverage of the Royal Family in the Times contrast with the reporting of the same events in the Daily Mirror?

In the mirror the family are seen as more informal than in the times and as more normal than in the times.


Industries

1) Who owns the Times? Write the name of the company AND the billionaire who owns the company.

News UK and Rupert Murdoch

2) What was the The Times's circulation in 2019? How many papers did the Times used to sell back in the 1990s?

In 2019 it was 376,000 and in 1990s it was 800,000+

3) How has the Times reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?

They have moved towards a multi-platform landscape, created a social media strategy

4) What does IPSO stand for and what is IPSO's job?

Independant Press Standards Organisation, the job is to:

• Regulate 1500 print and 1100 online titles.
• Listen to complaints about press behaviour.
• Help with unwanted press attention.
• Advise publication editors .
• Provide information to the public.
• Provide a journalist whistleblowing hotline.

5) Why do some people want stronger regulation of British newspapers? 

People think it cannot be trusted to regulate it.