2.8.2

Narrative

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Narrative

The Guardian issue that was published on 18th January 2022 covers the accusations from Dominic Cummings to Boris Johnson.

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Headline

  • The headline reads ‘Cummings accuses PM of lying over No 10 party’.
    • The headline presents a matter-of-fact and neutral tone.
  • Roland Barthes' semiotic theory breaks down the process of reading signs.
    • Following Roland Barthes' theory, the headline does not directly cover what the allegations are.
    • This entices the readers to pursue their coverage.
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Splash

  • The splash is the lead story in a newspaper.
  • The language used in the splash has some elements of bias.
    • For example, part of the splash reads, ‘Johnson admitted’.
    • While there are statements from Boris Johnson, most of the statements are from Dominic Cummings.
  • The framing of the splash places Cummings’ allegations as having more prominence and Johnson ‘owning up’ to mistakes.
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Cover lines

  • The cover line on the bottom left reads ‘UK sending anti-tank weapons to Ukraine’.
    • The reporting on this story is matter-of-fact.
  • The cover line on the bottom right reads ‘Inquiry launched into Mone over ‘VIP lane’ deal’.
    • Baroness Michelle Mone is a Conservative peer who was accused of profiting from a manufacturer she had referred to produce PPE.
    • This plays into The Guardian’s political allegiance, compounding mistrust of the Conservative Party.

Skylines

A skyline is a panel on the front page that tells the reader about the stories in the newspaper. Skylines entice the reader to read the paper.

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G2

  • The skyline of this newspaper is occupied by the supplement, G2.
    • G2 is a segment which appears in the newspaper.
    • G2 is on offer for readers who prefer ‘lighter’ news and articles over ‘hard-hitting’ political coverage.
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Left-hand skyline

  • The left-hand skyline reads ‘What we miss about working in the office’.
    • The skyline references the growing work-from-home initiatives after the Covid-19 pandemic.
    • The left-hand skyline presents The Guardian as being more ‘relatable’ to its audience.
  • The Guardian is not readily embracing change.
    • This is a common right-wing sentiment.
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Right-hand skyline

  • The right-hand skyline reads ‘A bottle of Warhol 75 please. When art and wine collide’.
    • This skyline references the visual artist, Andy Warhol.
    • Andy Warhol initiated the 'pop art' movement.
  • The right-hand skyline presents The Guardian as cultured and in tune with audience tastes.
    • The skyline suggests that those reading The Guardian are somewhat cultured themselves.

Jump to other topics

1Overview

2Component 1: Section A

3Component 1: Section B

4Component 2: Section A

5Component 2: Section B

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