Blog Tasks: Daily Mirror - Audience and Industries

 1) What is the Daily Mirror's audience? List the key statistics here.

32.9 million adults a month (aged 50 and above)


2) Why do the Mirror stories on the CSP pages appeal to the Daily Mirror audience?

Mirror stories on Case Study Project (CSP) pages appeal to the Daily Mirror’s working-class, left-leaning audience by featuring sensational, human-interest narratives and strong, anti-Conservative, Labour-supporting political stances. They use accessible, emotional, and conversational language to build community and reflect reader values.

3) Why might a reader enjoy the Daily Mirror? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory to add detail to your answer.

4) Why are print newspapers generally read by older audiences?

Print newspapers are generally read by older audiences due to a combination of deeply ingrained habits, preferences for tactile, in-depth reading experiences, higher trust in traditional media, and, in some cases, a preference to avoid digital distractions.

5) How are the CSP pages constructed to appeal to Daily Mirror readers? Think about text and selection of images.

The Daily Mirror (CSP) pages are constructed to appeal to a working-class (C2DE), left-leaning audience through sensationalist, emotive language, and a, bold visual-heavy tabloid format

Industries

1) What company owns the Daily Mirror and why are they struggling? 

The 
Daily Mirror
 is owned by Reach plc.

As of early 2026, Reach plc is facing significant financial difficulties, marked by a sharp shift to a £165.9 million pre-tax loss in 2025 compared to a profit the previous year. The key reasons for their struggle include:

2) Who was the Daily Mirror editor between 2018 and 2024 and what was the Partygate scandal that the Daily Mirror exposed?  
Alison Phillips
 served as the editor-in-chief of the 
Daily Mirror
 from 2018 until early 2024. She was the first female editor of the paper since 1903 and led the publication through some of its most significant investigative periods.

3) What is the Daily Mirror's circulation? How many papers did the Daily Mirror used to sell back in the 1990s?

The Daily Mirror's print circulation has fallen significantly from over 3 million copies a day


4) How has the Daily Mirror reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?

The Daily Mirror has responded to declining print sales by adopting a digital-first strategy, pivoting toward online advertising, and implementing significant cost-cutting measures, including staff reductions

5) List five of Galtung & Ruge's News Values and explain how they link to the stories in our CSP edition of the Daily Mirror.


  • Negativity: The Mirror highlights negative stories (crimes, disasters, bad economic news) because they attract attention, such as reports on cost-of-living struggles or political scandals affecting working-class lives.
  • Threshold: Major events, such as a large-scale political protest or a national tragedy, meet a high threshold for coverage because they impact a vast number of people.
  • Reference to Elite Persons: Stories focusing on politicians (e.g., in Prime Minister's Questions) or high-profile celebrities are prioritized because they are easily recognizable.
  • Personalization: The paper frames political issues through the personal stories of individuals, making abstract issues like NHS waiting lists relatable through one person's experience.
  • Continuity: Ongoing stories, such as a long-running inquiry or a major political campaign, are continued over several days, keeping the story in the public eye.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Advertising and Conventions

Image
  1) What  key conventions  of print adverts can you find and what are the  connotations  or deeper meanings of each convention?  For each convention, write about how it communicates meaning to the audience. See the Maltesers advert above for an example of how to do this. Conventions: Product in Ad -  2) What is the USP (unique selling point) for Skittles and how do you know? Does the advert use any of persuasive techniques listed above? The rainbow of the sweets. The phrase 'Taste The Rainbow' Look at the Maltesers example above if you are unsure how to complete these tasks. Part 2: Advert research Use Google images to research classic adverts. Find examples for the following and add them to your blog: 1) An advert with a clear brand identity 2) An advert that uses shock tactics or a controversial idea 3) An advert that creates a a strong emotional connection to the audience
Read more

His Dark Materials: Audience and Industries blog tasks

  1) What audience do you think His Dark Materials is aimed at and why? Think about demographic and psychographic groups.  You can  revise Pyschographics here . 2) What audience pleasures are offered by His Dark Materials - The City of Magpies? Apply Blumler and Katz's Uses and Gratifications theory to the episode. Make sure you provide specific examples from the episode to support your ideas. Personal Identity:  Personal Relationships:  Diversion (Escapism):  Entertainment/Escapism: The episode features a captivating plot that keeps audiences engaged, providing a diversion from their daily lives and offering a sense of escapism.   Social Interaction: The show's popularity and discussion across social media and online forums allow viewers to connect, share their thoughts, and engage in discussions about the episode.   Personal Identity/Identification: The characters in His Dark Materials are relatable, especially Lyra and Will, who face simil...
Read more

Gender representation in advertising: blog tasks

Image
  1) Find  three  adverts featuring women that are from the 1950s or 1960s.  Save the images to your Media folder as jpegs and then import them into your blog post.  Hint:  You may wish to look at car, perfume or cleaning products but can use any product you wish. 2) Find  three  adverts featuring women that are from post-2000.  Save the images to your Media folder as jpegs and then import them into your blog post. 3) What stereotypes of women can you find in the 1950s and 1960s adverts? Give specific examples.  .Considered the housewife of the family. .Somewhat the 'weak' one. women were expected to be the homemaker who cared for the children . 4) What stereotypes of women can you find in the post-2000s adverts? Give specific examples. They are seen as the opposite of what they were; more dominant and willing to stand up for themselves. 5) How do your chosen adverts suggest representations of gender have changed over the last 60 years?...
Read more