QUALITY OR POPULAR?

The role of the media? DOES THE MEDIA MANIPULATE THE TRUTH? ARE JOURNALISTS TO BLAME FOR SOME TRAGEDIES? IS MASS MEDIA USEFUL? WHY IS THE PRESS INTERESTED IN FOCUSING ON THE BAD PARTS OF LIFE?

Which is a tabloid and which is a broadsheet?

Newspapers can be divided into two sorts: they are either broadsheets or tabloids. Broadsheet newspapers are the large ones (e.g. The Times and The Daily Telegraph) Tabloid newspapers are the small ones (e.g. The Sun and The Daily Mirror).

Tabloids and Broadsheets Types of newspapers Broadsheets: These papers are printed on sheets of paper 116.83 x 81.28cm. There are five such broadsheets: The Times, The Independent, The Financial Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph. Tabloids: These papers are half the size of broadsheets, with pages measuring 58.42 x 40.64cm. There are six national daily tabloids: The Sun, The Daily Mail, Daily Express, Daily Mirror, Daily Sport and The Star.

TABLOIDS How much does this paper cost? What other information is there at the top of the page, apart from details of stories inside? What are the contents about (that is, the items advertised at the top of the page)? Say what you think each item is about. (For example, are they about politics, sport or famous people in entertainment?). How many news stories are there on this page? (Don’t count the ones advertised at the top of the page.) Are there any advertisements? What does the caption (the words under the picture) add to the picture? Did this story interest you? Explain your answer (eg, did you know about the person in this story?).

BROADSHEET How much does this paper cost? What other information is there at the top of the page, apart from details of stories inside? What are the contents about (that is, the items advertised at the top of the page)? Say what you think each item is about. What are the stories inside (that is, the ones advertised at the top of the page) about? Say what each story is about and also what kind of a story you think it is (eg, is it about politics, sport or famous people in entertainment?). What can you learn from the bottom of the page Did this story interest you? Explain your answer (eg, did you know about any of the people in this story?).

Innocent teenager set for law degree is shot dead in case of mistaken identity An innocent teenager who was planning to be a lawyer was shot dead outside a crowded pub at the weekend in what police believe was a case of mistaken identity. Abdulkarim Boudraf, 18, was killed by a single gunshot to the neck in Tottenham on Saturday night. The teenager, whose family came to Britain from Algeria, was with a group of youths outside the Elmhurst pub in Broadwater Road. He is the fifth teenager to be killed in London this year. Last year 28 teenagers died from knife and gun crime in the capital. Earlier in the weekend another teenager was stabbed to death. The latest killings came amid hopes of a lessening in the violence, with politicians including Home Secretary Jacqui Smith and London Mayor Boris Johnson claiming success in tackling gang culture. Mr Boudraf was shot dead at about 10.20 when the pub was packed with drinkers at a disco night. Paramedics tried to give him emergency surgery on the pavement but could not save him and pronounced him dead at the scene.

Tabloid Broadsheet Mix of fact and emotion More fact than emotion Shorter sentences Longer sentences Use bias and emotional language Objective, matter-of-fact style Stories are mixed together Divided into clear sections May have less news so there is room for stories about celebrities Focus on politics and world events Focus on famous people, private lives and scandal-gossip,rumors Generally concerned with events in major cities of the world Less complex vocabulary Complicated vocabulary