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Tabloid Newspapers

Tabloid newspapers (often referred to as Redtops) are publications such as The Sun and The Daily Star.

Tabloids

Tabloids

  • Tabloid newspapers (often referred to as Redtops) are publications such as The Sun and The Daily Star.
  • They are characterised by the following conventions.
Conventions of tabloid papers 1

Conventions of tabloid papers 1

  • Aimed at a fairly low social class (C2, D, E).
  • Use of informal, colloquial, sensationalist language.
  • Use of dramatic, often manipulated, images.
Conventions of tabloid papers 2

Conventions of tabloid papers 2

  • Large ratio of image to text, easy to read with a large masthead.
  • Use of puns, alliteration, wordplay.
  • Short stories with less in depth reporting.
Conventions of tabloid papers 3

Conventions of tabloid papers 3

  • Focus on celebrity news and human interest stories.
  • Biased approach to some stories.
  • Use of competitions and other features such as games and advice columns to attract readers.
Mid market tabloids

Mid market tabloids

  • Mid market tabloids or middle market dailies are newspapers that include publications such as The Daily Express and The Daily Mail.
  • They may include some conventions of both tabloid or broadsheet and tend to reflect a mid-point between the two genres.

Broadsheet Newspapers

Broadsheets newspapers are more serious newspapers than tabloids. Some of the most popular broadsheets in the UK include The Telegraph and The Times.

Broadsheets

Broadsheets

  • Broadsheets newspapers were traditionally much bigger in size than tabloids, hence the name.
  • Some of the most popular broadsheets in the UK include The Telegraph and The Times.
  • They are characterised by the following conventions (in comparison to tabloids).
Broadsheet conventions

Broadsheet conventions

  • A higher class of reader (ABC1).
  • More detailed coverage of stories.
  • Higher ratio of text to image.
  • More complex and sophisticated use of language.
Broadsheet conventions cont.

Broadsheet conventions cont.

  • Formal and serious headlines.
  • Much more subtle and plain layout, less colour and smaller less dramatic pictures.
  • More emphasis on stories involving politics, the environment and international news.
  • A less biased, more objective approach to stories.
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Overview

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Component 1: Section A

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Component 1: Section B

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Component 2: Section A

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Component 2: Section B

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