The Times Case Study

Language

1) What are the main stories on the front cover of the Times CSP edition (15 March 2017)?
'Scots want to remain in the UK, new poll reveals'
2) What are the main stories on the inside page of the Times CSP edition (15 March 2017)?
Muirfield golf club opens up to female members.
Transgender person is jailed for stabbing someone.
3) What is the balance on the Times front page between images, headlines and text?
Although there is a large image on the top third of the page, there is still a large amount of text, providing it's readers with a lot of information.
4) How do we know that the Times is aimed at a wealthy, educated, middle class audience?
It's price is higher than other papers, suggesting it is aimed at readers with more disposable income. It provides more hard news, choosing to focus on politics and culture rather than celebrities and sports.
5) What does a close analysis of the news stories in the Times CSP edition suggest about the Times political beliefs?
They write stories, sympathising with Theresa May, highlighting their conservative beliefs. They criticise global conglomerates and attempt to depict MP's in a positive light.
Audience

1) What is the target audience for the Times?
The Times target audience is older with over half the audience aged 55+. In terms of social class, they are overwhelmingly in the ABC1 social classes - and largely the A or B groups within that group.
2) Why do the Times front page stories/features appeal to the Times audience?
The tone of many of it's articles suggests it empathises with more traditional customs and ways of doing things (e.g. only men's golf club) which will appeal to it's majority conservative readership.
3) Why might the Muirfield golf story be of interest to Times readers?

It's a prestigious golf club that has many high profile members. It has been around for many years and is an elite club. This will interest more upper class audiences as they can keep up with what's happening in upper class circles.

4) Why might a reader enjoy the Times? Use Blumler & Katz Uses and Gratifications theory to add detail to your answer.
Surveillance: Newspapers provide information on politics and such. This edition of the Times informs it's readers of information on conglomerates such as Google and Channel 4.
Entertainment: Depicts an image of Angeline Jolie which suggests interest in celebrities etc... Furthermore, it contains articles on holidays and 'culture hotspots'.
5) Times readers are mostly over 55 years old. Why is this?  
Younger audiences are more likely to get their information and news from the internet and digital platforms. Additionally, The Times has quite traditional viewpoints that will appeal to older audiences rather than publishing articles that are more targeted at younger audiences.
Representation

1) What representation of Great Britain can be found on the front page of the Times?
Great Britain seems like a desirable place to be with a stable government as it implies that Scotland would rather stay in the UK than leave and become independent.
2) How does the Times represent the gender in the Muirfield golf feature?
It seems to be in favour of a men's only golf club yet highly praises the club for admitting women, glossing over the fact that it will remain women-free for a few more years. It focuses on the positive aspects of the club rather than addressing it's outdated ethos.
3) How does the Times represent big companies like Google or Channel 4? 
It presents them as corrupt and untrustworthy; a threat to the people.
4) How does the Times present the story of the transgender runner jailed for stabbing an official? What does this suggest about the Times's attitude towards LGBT issues?
It focuses on the fact that the stabber was transgender,unfairly implying that all transgender people pose a threat to the public. It doesn't publish any other LGBT-related stories, purposely portraying them in a negative light in order to appeal to it's old-fashioned readers that refuse to assimilate into modern times. 
5) What clues can you find in the CSP pages that suggest that Times readers are more likely to support the Conservative Party?
They sympathise with the Conservative prime minister as they imply she was unfairly 'ambushed' by Nicola Sturgeon.
Industries

1) Who owns the Times?
The Times is owned by News UK, a subsidiary of News Corporation which is owned by Rupert Murdoch, an Australian media mogul.
2) What is the The Times's circulation in 2018? How many papers did the Times used to sell back in the 1990s?
In the 1990's, it's circulation was an estimated 800,000 but it has fallen to roughly 430,000 in 2018.
3) How has the Times reacted to the decline in print sales and the growth of the internet?
It has moved towards a multi platform landscape, it has a social media strategy and has a paywall on it's online content.
4) Using Galtung and Ruge's News Values theory, choose three factors that make a news story more likely to be placed on the front page of the newspaper.
Familiarity-if it happened in/near Britain
Amplitude-the story is big/involves a large number of people
Immediacy-the story has happened recently
5) Why have newspapers seen such a steep decline in sales over the last 20 years?
There has been a rise in online news, meaning people no longer need to buy print newspapers; it's less convenient.