Semiotic and Generic Analysis

'Yorkshire Post' Front Page

Cost: 55p

Masthead measurements: 27.5 x 3cm

Above the masthead: 'Yorkshire's National Newspaper'

Beneath the masthead: Cost | North Yorkshire Edition | Website | Date, then a thin black line above the rest of the front page

5 Photograpshs featured: all of people

33 x 6cm 'life&style' supplement pull out advert, featuring two photographs

Barcode section: 4 x 3cm bottom left hand corner of the page

19 x 3cm strip at the bottom featuring contents named: 'Inside', 'Weather' and 'Contact us'

9.5 x 20cm advert from a local bed company (Relevance)

Columns: 4.5cm

Main headline in bold (aimed at a wide audience not just local) featuring a by-line and 8 word strapline. Also including a 4.5 x 4.5cm photograph with caption beneath , 2 long columns

'Briefly' section: 'NIB' including 2 stories continued within the paper. Stories of local interest / shock or unexpectedfullness and personalised for emotive effect

'Yorkshire Post' 2nd Page

Front page of newspaper in colour, the rest is printed in black and white

Standfirst of each article begins with first word of each in capital letters

Strip along the top of the page beneath the page number, name of the newspaper, date, website and PUG of 'News' is advertising what will be featured in the next issue

Thin grey lines sectioning off each article from one another

Thicker black line betneath the main article

36.5 x 3.5cm: 'Online At yorkshirepost.co.uk' section featuring 4 images and stories

33.5 x 12cm puzzle section along the bottom

Questionnaire Analysis

I handed out 20 copies of my questionnaire to people who read newspapers. These are my results.


1. Are you male or female?
9=Male 11=Female
2. How old are you?
  Under 20, 21-30, 31-40, 41- 50, 51- 60, 61-70, 71+
15=Under 20, 1=21-30, 0=31-40, 2=41-50, 1=51-60, 0=61-70, 1=71+ 
3. What is your favourite local newspaper?
18=Harrogate Advertiser 2=Ripon Gazette
4. How often do you read newspapers? 
Once a month, few times a month, once a week, few times a week or daily
0=Once a month, 2= Few times a month, 5= Once a week, 7= Few times a week, 6= Daily
5. How long do you spend reading the newspaper?
5=0-30 mins, 14=31-59 mins, 1=1 hour+
6. Does your area have a local newspaper?
20=Yes
7. Do you buy the same local newspaper regularly, or a mix of several newspapers?
19=Mix, 1=Same newspaper
8. How much do you usually spend on your local newspaper?
0-30p, 31-50p, 51-70p, 71-90p 91- 99p or £1+
0=0-30p, 0=31-50p, 4=51-70p, 3=71-90p, 2=91-99p, 11=£1+
9. Do you prefer positive or negative stories about your local area, or a combination?
16=Combination, 4=Positive, 0=Negative.
10. Would you be more likely to buy additional copies of the newspaper if it featured articles including your family and friends?
20=Yes
11. Which do you prefer to read about?
 Politics, schools, environmental issues, local events, gossip, council issues, new buildings, national issues, sports, business, housing, lifestyle features, or other (please specify)
(Most popular choice was local events).

12. Apart from the purchaser, how many people in your household read the newspaper? (List ages if possible)
2=1, 3=2, 15=3.


From this analysis, I know that people prefer a combination of good and bad news, that people like stories about local events, and most people spend over £1 on their paper so I can charge over £1 for mine.

Questionnaire

1. Are you male or female?

2. How old are you?
  Under 20, 21-30, 31-40, 41- 50, 51- 60, 61-70, 71+

3. What is your favourite local newspaper?

4. How often do you read newspapers?
Once a month, few times a month, once a week, few times a week or daily

5. How long do you spend reading the newspaper?

6. Does your area have a local newspaper?

7. Do you buy the same local newspaper regularly, or a mix of several newspapers?

8. How much do you usually spend on your local newspaper?
0-30p, 31-50p, 51-70p, 71-90p 91- 99p or £1+

9. Do you prefer positive or negative stories about your local area, or a combination?

10. Would you be more likely to buy additional copies of the newspaper if it featured articles including your family and friends?

11. Which do you prefer to read about?
 Politics, schools, environmental issues, local events, gossip, council issues, new buildings, national issues, sports, business, housing, lifestyle features, or other (please specify)

12. Apart from the purchaser, how many people in your household read the newspaper? (List ages if possible)

Generic Conventions of Newspaper Articles

The Knaresborough Post:

Speeding - time to act

The first sentence is twenty words long, and informs the reader who, what and where.
The article was written by one person, and includes a byline.
The first word of the article is capitalised, in keeping with the style of the paper.
The article is sixteen paragraphs long, as it is the main article on the page.
The article ends with the e-mail address of the paper, and an invitation to the reader to give their opinion on the story.
The article contains quotes from several people involved in the story, some of whom have contradictory opinions, which helps to make it three-dimensional.
The article is aimed at an older audience, of both genders, especially residents of the area referenced in the story, who would be more interested.
The article is arranged in seven columns, each of which has twenty-one lines.

The Ripon Gazette:

Hotel fire victim wanted to leave "ropey" accomodation

The first sentence is twenty-seven words long, and informs the reader who, what and where.
The article was written by one person, and includes a byline.
The first word of the article is capitalised, in keeping with the style of the paper.
The article is twenty-six paragraphs long, as it is the main article on the front page.
The article ends with the e-mail address of the writer of the article.
The article quotes the man in question, and his family, making the story more personal.
The article is aimed at an older audience, of both genders.
The article consists of eight columns, of varied length, as they are arranged around two pictures.