Choosing My Masthead

The top three pictures are of existing mastheads and the bottom image of the masthead that I made for my newspaper.

My masthead has followed the codes and conventions of the local papers through being bold, large and eye catching. I looked at various mastheads to look at the main factors that they use, as well as speaking to my focus group about the type of masthead that they like and find attracting.

My focus group said that they prefer plain and simple mastheads, yet still eye-catching. Examples that they gave were the 'Thanet Gazette' as it's simple, but still eye-catching due to the bold writing and the way that 'Gazette' is written in a different colour, drawing attention to it. My focus group also gave me examples of national papers, for example, 'The guardian'. So i took ideas from both of these examples to make something new.

From the gazette I took the way in which the masthead is on two lines, so I've taken this aspect of the masthead, by placing 'Thanet' and 'Messenger' on different lines. I've done this as it then allows me to have space for the symbol as well as it making my writing larger, so catches the audiences eye easier. Then from 'The Guardian' I took the style of writing that they use as I saw it to be a smart and formal font, compared to others that I've seen. I also took the comments that my focus group made about it needing to be larger, therefore, I also took inspiration from 'Thanet Times' by writing my masthead in capital. You can clearly see all of these aspects working together in my masthead above.

Radio Advert

This is an idea of what my radio script is going to be, although it may change when I put it all together...

"Ever feel like your local paper is always the same, old, boring stuff?

Well It's time for something new...

So pick up the Thanet Messenger today.

The new local newspaper for Thanet giving you all the local news and needed information for you!

As well as puzzles for those boring moments of the day and a Life & Style booklet for all you women, now that's no normal paper!

SO have a change and pick up the brand new local paper the THANET MESSENGER!"

Galtung & Ruge - News Value

Earlier on I wrote about Galtung and Ruge's theory of news-value, here I'm going to explain the ways in which I've used their factors within my newspaper.

• Negativity - Negativity has been used in my newspaper in various occasions. My main use of negativity is my front page story about a violent attack on a teenage boy, to add to the negativity the attack was a homophobic attack. This story will then attract the audience as they'll be worried about such violence in their local area. This story was then chosen as my front page story as this has the highest news-value as this is the news that the audience are going to want to read about the most. Another story in my newspaper that I've used the negativity factor is the article about the council going against what the local people want by building a Tesco superstore by their block of flats. Although, this isn't bad news for the whole of the local area, other locals may be interested in changes in their local area attracting the audience. My third article (on my second page) also uses the negativity factor of Galtung and Ruge's model. The story is about the rise in petrol prices in the local area, explaining hoe it's cheaper to drive to the local city of Canterbury to fill up. This story will attract the audience as they'll want to know the reason for this as it's highly affecting them.
• Closeness to home (proximity) - I've used proximity in my newspaper through my articles, I've done this as all of the articles are about what has happened in the local area, for example, the main story on front page is about an attack in a local town, therefore, this is going to be meaningful to the audience. This is a key aspect that news gatekeepers have to consider. Although, I've also used proximity for good news in local area with my article on the development of Westwood Cross shopping centre. This will then interest my audience as they'll be keen to know the changes happening in their local area. Adverts?
• Recency?
• Currency - In my newspaper I've got an article about the rise in petrol prices, this would be linked to the currency factor as this issue is continuously in the news as it's been going on for a long time now. So every time a little change occurs newspapers will update their audience.
• Continuity - Continuity has occurred in my newspaper with three of my stories. Continuity will occur with my main story on my front page as the audience will want to be kept up to date with information on the attack. They'll do this to see who done it, what will happen to the attackers and so on. Continuity also occurs with my article on the petrol prices rising, as already this story has been involved in many newspapers already as the audience want to be updated on the story. Another way that continuity is used in my newspaper is with my article about the development at Westwood Cross shopping centre. Again, the audience will want to be kept up to date with the changes as it's in their local area and may affect their day to day life.
• Uniqueness - My newspaper has uniqueness with my main story, as although it is likely to see an article on an attack on the front page, it's much less likely to have one about a homophobic attack. This is why i went for this story as my front page story. As it will catch the audiences attention when they see it on the news-stand.
• Simplicity - I've included the simplicity factor with a few of my articles. The main article to include this factor is my graffiti article which shows the debate of whether graffiti is an art or a mess. The article is written very simply and easy for the audience to follow. The subject is also a very basic subject that all members of the audience will understand and be able to relate to as it's part of their life. Therefore, with a story like this the audience will be able to relate to it and due to this they'll be more likely to buy my product.
• Expectedness (predictability) - The predictability factor of the model has been used continuously through out my newspaper. I've done this as the audience have these expectations for the newspaper, so these expectations need to be fulfilled so that the audience get what they feel they should out of their local newspaper. The predictability factor is used in my articles, for example, I've informed my audience of stories like James Moore's violent attack as this will be on the locals mind, due to the impact it would have on peoples lives in the local area. The article on the petrol prices rising is also a predictable story as it's a very popular story to be in local and national papers. Therefore, giving the audience what they want, as again it's having an impact on their lives. Giving these stories a high news-value.
• Size - With my main story the size factor is heavily used. This is because this story is a massive story for a very little area and will have a huge impact on a large amount of the local people, giving it a higher level of news-value. Another big story I have in my paper is the article about the Westwood Cross development work. This is a big story for the area as it's going to have a large impact on everyone that lives in the area for various reasons. Due to it having such an impact on the local area it makes it have a high news-value.

'Life & Style' Section

Inside my newspaper I've placed a 'Life & Style' booklet, this will tell the audience about fashion, advice on relationships, horoscopes and their inner self. This section is mainly for the women that buy the newspaper, I've used a female section as from what I've heard from my focus group is that women are more likely to buy a newspaper based on the extras that the newspapers are offering, therefore, by displaying the 'Life & Style' booklet on my front page.

I've placed the advert for the booklet in the banner section of my front page where you're more likely to find adverts for offers in local newspapers and more likely to find this type of banner in a national newspaper, for example, 'The Daily Mail' often does this.

Therefore, I've challenged the codes and conventions of local newspapers. I've done this as after talking to my focus group about what they want from a newspaper, I got comments like this...

• Danielle - "I buy a local newspaper every week, although, I can find them to be very bland and not give you anything to get you attracted to the paper and are very same, same every week"
• Michael - "My wife buys us both the local newspaper and the 'Daily Mail', she likes to gain the news from both papers, especially her local news, although, the feature that grabs her attention in the 'Daily Mail' is the way that they offer you features that you don't get in other papers"

Due to these comments, I've given my newspaper a feature that will stand out from others, gaining the audience's attention that other papers wont be able to.

Although, this 'Life & Style' booklet links in with my local area, it does this through featuring opinions and fashion ideas form local shops, the well known brands, like 'New Look' and 'Topshop' and also the one of shops like 'Clothes Boutique', they will also run competitions to win outfits or pieces from their shops. Another way in which this booklet is going to be linked in with the local town is through comments from medians and psychics from Broadstairs, telling the audience horoscopes and other facts that could be affecting their lives. Along with the medians/psychics there will be competitions to allow a number of the audience to win a free session. Inside the booklet there will also be facts about the body, herbal supplement, essentials oils and other products to help and advantage your body, from your local 'Holland & Barrett'.

Each week this booklet will change contents, with tips from different shops about different aspects if life. This booklet will also vary between information for females and males, therefore, it will attract both genders.

Newspaper Adverts

As I've mentioned before newspaper advertise local businesses to fund their paper, as the businesses pay the paper for the space on the page. It's common for the newspapers to have the same adverts, in the same place weekly, as the paper and businesses form a good relationship. Also, by the adverts being used weekly they get recognised by the public and stick in the publics mind., The public also then know where to look when in need for say a window - 'The Window Workshop' is a local business advertised in my local newspapers. Due to these facts I've followed the codes and conventions and placed four adverts for local businesses at the bottom of my front page. I've designed all of the newspapers myself, althoughthey are very similar to the real adverts used in local newspapers. I've made them to look very similar as the specification was to make the newspaper, and the adverts aren't actually part of the newspaper (produced by them) as they are sent in from the business, so they don't technically act as part of the newspaper. Therefore, I've made them similar to follow the codes and conventions and make my newspaper look realistic. Here I've compared the adverts that I've made and the real adverts.

As you can see, the adverts are very similar, however, a number of changes have been made to stop them being copyright, yet still look professional.

(I apologize for the positioning of the adverts yet I wasn't able to make them go in line)

The Contents Section

In this post I'm going to look at the contents sections of newspaper and explain why I've challenged the codes and conventions.

As you can see from these examples there is usually a box on the page that includes the contents of the page, they will usually show you a few of the stories that are included in the newspaper. They're large and take up quite a bit of the room. The contents also includes pictures and the story lines from sections of the newspaper.

These are a few examples from numerous local newspapers.

However, instead of a contents section, I've chosen to use a bar style for my contents, as after talking to my focus group they told me that they find the contents sections incredibly useful, especially when they just want to flick quickly to a specific section. Although, they said that they'd prefer the second page to have more news then a contents box being there. They also mentioned that after having the main headlines of sections on the front page, they don't see why they also have to be shown again on the second page, once again, taking up more room. Therefore, to reduce the room taken up I've placed my contents into a bar design at the top of my second page, which gives you the names of the sections and the page numbers that they'll be on. This gives the audience the use of the contents section, yet takes up a lot less room, leaving room for the news.

This is what my contents bar will look like...

This contents bar will reach all the way across the top of my second page, although the size isn't shown here.

Story Plans

I've been keeping an eye on local newspaper stories so that I can write an article that is similar to the stories that are in local newspapers. Although, I'm planning to make my front page article to be out of the ordinary and to stand out.

Main front page story: the main story on my front page is going to be about a boy has been attacked and killed in my local town. This attack is going to be a homophobic attack on an 18 year old boy called James Moore, it will have happened the night that he received his A-level results. I have chosen this story as although it's against the codes and conventions as it is very rare that this sort of incident happens and I haven't seen a story like this, I have chosen to use it as these things do happen and people need to be aware of this. A photo will be included with this article.

Front page story (2): there are going to be two stories on my front page. The second story is going to be about the way in which a Tesco superstore may be getting built next to a block of local flats. The article will involve the views of the locals, along with quotes from professionals.

Second page story (1): on my second page there is going to be 3 articles. The first article is going the inflation of petrol prices in my area, as it was found that it is cheaper to drive to Canterbury and fill up then it is to fill up in a local petrol station. The article is going to include quotes from professionals. This story follows the codes and conventions and it is informing the audience of needed information about their area.

Second page story (2): the second page is going to be looking at both sides of the argument about whether graffiti is art or mess. In my local area, graffiti occurs regularly, some of the public see it as something good that can be used positively although others say that it's ugly. A photo is going to be included with this article.

Second page story (3):the third story on the second page is going to be about the developmental work that is going on in my local town, where 10 new shops are being built along with restaurants and a hotel. Again, the opinions of the public and professionals will be included in the article, this is following the codes and conventions of local newspaper articles. An image is going to be included with this article also.