Newspaper Glossary: Paper 2, Section A
ACTIVE AUDIENCE Audiences actively engage in selecting media products to consume and
interpret their meanings. For example, audiences can actively engage with
interactive features on newspaper websites through the navigational bar,
multi-modal features and rollovers.
ANCHORAGE The words that accompany an image that contributes to the meaning
associated with the image. An image with an anchor is a closed text and the
audience are given the preferred reading, but an image without an anchor
is an open text allowing the audience to interpret the image.
BROADSHEET A larger newspaper that publishes more serious and formal news, for
example, The Daily Telegraph has maintained its broadsheet format and is
known for its quality and reputation.
CAPTION Words that accompany an image that helps to explain its meaning and will
likely attract audiences to want to read the rest of the article.
CIRCULATION The dissemination of media products to audiences – the method will
depend on the media form. Newspaper circulation relies on the number of
copies of a newspaper issue sold on an average day.
CONGLOMERATE A company that owns other companies across a range of media platforms.
This increases their domination of the market and their ability to distribute
and exhibit their product. For example, News Corp is a powerful media
conglomerate with high status which allows for greater global distribution.
CONVENTIONS What the audience expects to see in a particular media text, for example,
the conventions of a tabloid newspaper include a high image to text ratio
and sensationalist and accusational language.
CONVERGENCE The coming together of previously separate media industries and/or
platforms; is often the result of advances in technology whereby one device
or platform contains a range of different features. For example, the mobile
phone allows users to download music, view videos, tweet artists etc
through one portable device.
CROSS-PLATFORM MARKETING A text that is distributed and exhibited across a range of media formats or
platforms. This may include film, television, print, radio and the internet.
For example, newspapers such as The Times market on radio, television
and social media channels.
DEMOCRATIC MEDIA Refers to how developments in technology have empowered citizens and
promoted democratic ideals. Technology has given individuals the
opportunity to participate in the media and journalism by creating content
that allows them to report on current affairs and express opinions.
DISCOURSE The topics, language and meaning or values behind a media text. For
example, The Mirror’s discourse tends to revolve around softer news issues
such as celebrity gossip and sports.
DISTRIBUTION The methods by which media products are delivered to audiences,
including the marketing campaign. These methods will depend on the
product, for example, distributing companies in the newspaper industry are
responsible for getting the newspaper from the press to the reader in
either print or digital format.
DIVERSIFICATION Where media organisations who have specialised in producing media
products in one form move into producing content across a range of
platforms e.g. The Times Radio.
EDITING Post-production techniques involved in arranging, revising or removing
content for audience consumption. For example, in the newspaper
industry, editing may help construct the papers ideologies through the
choice of images, layout and language.
EDITOR’S CODE The editor’s code of practice sets out rules newspapers must abide by and
are the responsibility of the editor to comply to including issues such as
accuracy and privacy.
, ETHOS The beliefs, values and customs of media organisations. In the newspaper
industry, for example, The Mirror’s ethos establishes its strong socialist
values and anti-conservative stance.
FEATURE A feature is a longer story that covers a story in greater depth than a news
story such as government issues rather than breaking news.
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS The right to publish newspapers and other printed matter without
censorship of the government which can result in an underlying struggle to
protect citizens from harmful material whilst ensuring press choice and
freedom.
GATEKEEPERS The people responsible for deciding the most appropriate stories for the
ideology of the newspaper ‘through the gate’. They may be the owner,
editor or senior journalists.
GLOBAL Worldwide – e.g., a media product with global reach is a product that is
distributed around the world. For example, News Corp is a global
newspaper conglomerate that distributes and produces newspapers
internationally.
#HACKED OFF Campaign launched in 2011 that proposed for greater regulation and
accountability to rebuild trust in news organisations and ensure justice for
victims of abused press power. The campaign has been fronted by
celebrities such as Hugh Grant who was a victim of the phone-hacking
scandal by the Mirror Group Newspapers.
HARD NEWS Hard news refers to topics that are usually timely, important and
consequential, such as politics, international affairs and business news. For
example, The Times include more serious topics such as politics and the
economy and would be considered hard news.
HEGEMONY Hegemony is the dominance of one group over another, often supported
by legitimating norms and ideas.
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION Where a media conglomerate is made up of different companies that
produce and sell similar products, often as a result of mergers. For
example, Reach PLC is a horizontally integrated company that owns a range
of newspapers such as The Daily Star and The Daily Mirror.
ICONOGRAPHY The props, costumes, objects and backgrounds associated with a particular
genre.
IDEOLOGY A set of messages, values and beliefs that may be encoded into media
products. Newspaper ideologies tend to be left-wing or right-wing and
establish the ethos and values of the paper.
IMPRESS Impress is the first officially recognised press regulator established in 2016
that is granted a royal charter and is fully compliant with the terms of the
Levenson enquiry, alternative to IPSO.
INTERTEXTUALITY Where one media product intertextually references another. For example,
newspaper headlines frequently utilise intertextuality to engage their
readers in humorous anecdotes and puns such as referencing popular
culture, television and celebrities.
IPSO The Independent Press Standards Organisation established in 2014 as one
option of press regulation in the UK. It is fully funded by the newspaper
industry and is anti-Levenson in its approach.
LAYOUT AND DESIGN How a page has been designed to attract the target audience. For example,
newspapers layout and design may include typography, colour codes and
the positioning of texts and images.
LEFT-WING Left-wing attitudes are characterised by ideas such as freedom, equality
and reform and support the labour party. For example, The Daily Mirror
adopts a left-wing political agenda by establishing its strong criticism
towards the conservative government.
LEVESON INQUIRY Began in 2012 as a response to phone-hacking scandals and recommend a
more objective and rigorous form of press regulation and considered the
ethics and standards of the British press.
ACTIVE AUDIENCE Audiences actively engage in selecting media products to consume and
interpret their meanings. For example, audiences can actively engage with
interactive features on newspaper websites through the navigational bar,
multi-modal features and rollovers.
ANCHORAGE The words that accompany an image that contributes to the meaning
associated with the image. An image with an anchor is a closed text and the
audience are given the preferred reading, but an image without an anchor
is an open text allowing the audience to interpret the image.
BROADSHEET A larger newspaper that publishes more serious and formal news, for
example, The Daily Telegraph has maintained its broadsheet format and is
known for its quality and reputation.
CAPTION Words that accompany an image that helps to explain its meaning and will
likely attract audiences to want to read the rest of the article.
CIRCULATION The dissemination of media products to audiences – the method will
depend on the media form. Newspaper circulation relies on the number of
copies of a newspaper issue sold on an average day.
CONGLOMERATE A company that owns other companies across a range of media platforms.
This increases their domination of the market and their ability to distribute
and exhibit their product. For example, News Corp is a powerful media
conglomerate with high status which allows for greater global distribution.
CONVENTIONS What the audience expects to see in a particular media text, for example,
the conventions of a tabloid newspaper include a high image to text ratio
and sensationalist and accusational language.
CONVERGENCE The coming together of previously separate media industries and/or
platforms; is often the result of advances in technology whereby one device
or platform contains a range of different features. For example, the mobile
phone allows users to download music, view videos, tweet artists etc
through one portable device.
CROSS-PLATFORM MARKETING A text that is distributed and exhibited across a range of media formats or
platforms. This may include film, television, print, radio and the internet.
For example, newspapers such as The Times market on radio, television
and social media channels.
DEMOCRATIC MEDIA Refers to how developments in technology have empowered citizens and
promoted democratic ideals. Technology has given individuals the
opportunity to participate in the media and journalism by creating content
that allows them to report on current affairs and express opinions.
DISCOURSE The topics, language and meaning or values behind a media text. For
example, The Mirror’s discourse tends to revolve around softer news issues
such as celebrity gossip and sports.
DISTRIBUTION The methods by which media products are delivered to audiences,
including the marketing campaign. These methods will depend on the
product, for example, distributing companies in the newspaper industry are
responsible for getting the newspaper from the press to the reader in
either print or digital format.
DIVERSIFICATION Where media organisations who have specialised in producing media
products in one form move into producing content across a range of
platforms e.g. The Times Radio.
EDITING Post-production techniques involved in arranging, revising or removing
content for audience consumption. For example, in the newspaper
industry, editing may help construct the papers ideologies through the
choice of images, layout and language.
EDITOR’S CODE The editor’s code of practice sets out rules newspapers must abide by and
are the responsibility of the editor to comply to including issues such as
accuracy and privacy.
, ETHOS The beliefs, values and customs of media organisations. In the newspaper
industry, for example, The Mirror’s ethos establishes its strong socialist
values and anti-conservative stance.
FEATURE A feature is a longer story that covers a story in greater depth than a news
story such as government issues rather than breaking news.
FREEDOM OF THE PRESS The right to publish newspapers and other printed matter without
censorship of the government which can result in an underlying struggle to
protect citizens from harmful material whilst ensuring press choice and
freedom.
GATEKEEPERS The people responsible for deciding the most appropriate stories for the
ideology of the newspaper ‘through the gate’. They may be the owner,
editor or senior journalists.
GLOBAL Worldwide – e.g., a media product with global reach is a product that is
distributed around the world. For example, News Corp is a global
newspaper conglomerate that distributes and produces newspapers
internationally.
#HACKED OFF Campaign launched in 2011 that proposed for greater regulation and
accountability to rebuild trust in news organisations and ensure justice for
victims of abused press power. The campaign has been fronted by
celebrities such as Hugh Grant who was a victim of the phone-hacking
scandal by the Mirror Group Newspapers.
HARD NEWS Hard news refers to topics that are usually timely, important and
consequential, such as politics, international affairs and business news. For
example, The Times include more serious topics such as politics and the
economy and would be considered hard news.
HEGEMONY Hegemony is the dominance of one group over another, often supported
by legitimating norms and ideas.
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION Where a media conglomerate is made up of different companies that
produce and sell similar products, often as a result of mergers. For
example, Reach PLC is a horizontally integrated company that owns a range
of newspapers such as The Daily Star and The Daily Mirror.
ICONOGRAPHY The props, costumes, objects and backgrounds associated with a particular
genre.
IDEOLOGY A set of messages, values and beliefs that may be encoded into media
products. Newspaper ideologies tend to be left-wing or right-wing and
establish the ethos and values of the paper.
IMPRESS Impress is the first officially recognised press regulator established in 2016
that is granted a royal charter and is fully compliant with the terms of the
Levenson enquiry, alternative to IPSO.
INTERTEXTUALITY Where one media product intertextually references another. For example,
newspaper headlines frequently utilise intertextuality to engage their
readers in humorous anecdotes and puns such as referencing popular
culture, television and celebrities.
IPSO The Independent Press Standards Organisation established in 2014 as one
option of press regulation in the UK. It is fully funded by the newspaper
industry and is anti-Levenson in its approach.
LAYOUT AND DESIGN How a page has been designed to attract the target audience. For example,
newspapers layout and design may include typography, colour codes and
the positioning of texts and images.
LEFT-WING Left-wing attitudes are characterised by ideas such as freedom, equality
and reform and support the labour party. For example, The Daily Mirror
adopts a left-wing political agenda by establishing its strong criticism
towards the conservative government.
LEVESON INQUIRY Began in 2012 as a response to phone-hacking scandals and recommend a
more objective and rigorous form of press regulation and considered the
ethics and standards of the British press.
