MailOnline case study: Blog tasks
MailOnline close-textual analysis
Go to MailOnline and analyse the stories currently featured:
1) What are the top five stories? Are they examples of soft news or hard news?
2) What celebrity content is featured?
3) What examples of ‘clickbait’ can you find?
Throughout the website there are many cases of clickbait as the MailOnline purposely makes their headlines long and intriguing when in reality if you click on it the info isn't really all that and can be very concise.
4) To what extent do the stories you have found on MailOnline reflect the values and ideologies of the Daily Mail newspaper?
I think the stories heavily reflect the values and ideologies of the DM newspaper as they reflect right-wing conservative ideas.
5) Think about audience appeal and gratifications: why is MailOnline the most-read English language newspaper website in the world? How does it keep you on the site?
Guardian column: So Daily Mail and Mail Online are ‘totally separate’? It depends how you look at it by Peter Preston
Read this Guardian column by Media veteran Peter Preston on a row between the Guardian and the Mail over the controversial MailOnline (ex-) columnist Katie Hopkins. Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Preston suggest that the Daily Mail and MailOnline should be considered to be basically the same publication?
Preston suggests that logically, there is no transition or difference between the two platforms. This is due to their ideologies, world views and content is pretty much the same.
2) How does Preston summarise other newspaper websites?
Preston states "Both are forerunners of what may transpire if print dies a lingering death and all we have left is the whole memory".
3) How many readers does the online-only Independent now boast?
31.1 Million UK readers a month
4) Do you feel the Daily Mail and MailOnline have a different ‘world view’?
I don't believe that they have a different 'world view' as they are both heavily influenced by money as they are money driven companies who publish things that they know will give them high profits.
5) Do you see a future for the paper version of the Daily Mail or will it eventually close like the Independent?
Media Magazine MM55: Media, Publics, Protest and Power
Media Magazine 55 has an excellent feature on power and the media. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 38 to read the article Media, Publics, Protest and Power', a summary of Media academic Natalie Fenton’s talk to the Media Magazine conference in 2015. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the three overlapping fields that have an influence on the relationship between media and democracy?
-Political
-Economic
-Journalistic
2) What is ‘churnalism’ and does MailOnline provide examples of this kind of news gathering?
Churnalism: refers to the idea of 'cutting and pasting' public relations material or rewrites of content - i.e. the content isn't original.
3) Fenton argues that news should serve the public and help democracy. Does MailOnline do this?
I think The Daily Mail does this as they always post stories which directly relate towards the audience. Whichever story has the most clicks is sure to be on the front page of the website.
4) What is infotainment? Is MailOnline guilty of relying on this kind of content?
Infotainment is broadcast material which is intended to entertain and inform. I think the MailOnline is guilty of this as they offer their readers entertainment and inform them on news and affairs too.
5) Has the internet empowered audiences or is it still dominated by the major media conglomerates? How does MailOnline fit into this?
Factsheet 182 - Case Study: The Daily Mail (Part 3) Industrial Context
Finally, read Media Factsheet 182 - Case Study: The Daily Mail (Part 3) Industrial Context and complete the following questions/tasks. You won't be able to access our Factsheet archive now school is closed but you can open this factsheet here if you log in to Google using your School email and password.
1) What do Curran and Seaton suggest regarding the newspaper industry and society?
Curran and Seaton suggest newspapers have to reflect the needs and desires of the reader in order to maintain circulation and readership.
2) Curran and Seaton acknowledge that media ownership in the UK is dominated by what kind of company?
They suggest it's dominated by a conglomerate as most British press in the 1960s and 70s was bought up by big conglomerates.
3) What does the factsheet suggest regarding newspaper ownership and influence over society?
The factsheet suhhests owners of newspapers are able to influence newspapers with their own ideologies and beliefs. One example given by the factsheet is Rupert Murdoch as he wanted war in Iran and his newspapers supported his belief through their own articles.
4) Why did the Daily Mail invest heavily in developing MailOnline in the 2000s?
The Daily Mail believed "We are […] in the middle of a perfect storm of horrifically rising newsprint prices, disappearing classified revenues, diminishing display advertising, the rise of cannibalistic and parasitic Internet sites, the ubiquity of the frees and, now, most worryingly of all, readerships who have less and less disposable income to spend on newspapers.”
5) How does MailOnline reflect the idea of newspapers ‘as conversation’?
The MailOnline relfcts the idea of newspapers as conversation as newspapers are shown to be direct address so it's as if the institution is having a conversation with the reader, updating them on current news.
6) How many stories and pictures are published on MailOnline?
1,000 stories and 10,000 pictures. This shows how the MailOnline takes visual content into consideration a lot.
7) How does original MailOnline editor Martin Clarke explain the success of the website?
Martin Clarke states: “The reason MailOnline has become a success is because we cover the waterfront. It’s all the news you need to know, all the news you wanna know. The big stories. The lighter stories. The completely amazing stories"
8) What does it mean when it says readers are in control of digital content?
Readers are now in control of digital content becuse the content on MailOnline is based on what people are clicking on, therefore they determine what goes up on the website.
9) How is the priority for stories on the homepage established on MailOnline?
The stories that get the most amount of clicks are the ones shown on the front page. By doing this the reader can immediately see which stories are the most interesting due to its popularity.
10) What is your view of ‘clicks’ driving the news agenda? Should we be worried that readers are now ‘in control of digital content’?
I believe that it's a positive thing for readers to be able to in a way control digital content because that way we don't have to be in a situation where the newspaper is constantly shoving their agenda and ideologies in our faces. This way we are able to voice our own opinions on different matters.
Go to MailOnline and analyse the stories currently featured:
1) What are the top five stories? Are they examples of soft news or hard news?
- UK coronavirus death toll jumps from 54 yesterday to 87 today - bringing a total of 422 fatalities - and infection cases leap by 1,427 in biggest daily rise yet... so why are people STILL crammed on Tubes and trains and mingling in parks?- Hard News
- Police break up BARBECUES as people defy government lockdown by gathering in parks and streets across Britain- Hard News
- Greta Thunberg says she may have coronavirus and is isolating with her father after displaying symptoms- Soft news
- Drive for 250,000-strong 'volunteer army' to boost the NHS: Health Secretary Matt Hancock appeals for helpers to stop coronavirus swamping services- Hard News
- Number of critically-ill coronavirus patients in England could outstrip the number of ICU beds 'within two weeks'- Hard News
- Vogue Williams PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Pregnant star heads on a 3km run with Spencer Matthews and son Theodore as they get in their daily exercise under lockdown
- Carol Vorderman is red-faced as Piers Morgan makes VERY cheeky comment about her wearing a 'school uniform'
- The Chase star Paul Sinha reveals quiz teammate has died of coronavirus after saying it's 'likely' he has it himself
- Heartbroken Jo Wood pays tribute to her 'funny and talented' brother Paul Karslake as he dies aged 61 after being hospitalised with breathing problems
3) What examples of ‘clickbait’ can you find?
Throughout the website there are many cases of clickbait as the MailOnline purposely makes their headlines long and intriguing when in reality if you click on it the info isn't really all that and can be very concise.
4) To what extent do the stories you have found on MailOnline reflect the values and ideologies of the Daily Mail newspaper?
I think the stories heavily reflect the values and ideologies of the DM newspaper as they reflect right-wing conservative ideas.
5) Think about audience appeal and gratifications: why is MailOnline the most-read English language newspaper website in the world? How does it keep you on the site?
I think The MailOnline is one of the most read English newspaper website as it features a lot of clickbait which ensures a lot of clicks by a huge range of audiences. The fact that you can scroll almost infinitely shows the huge scope of selection they provide for the readers.
Guardian column: So Daily Mail and Mail Online are ‘totally separate’? It depends how you look at it by Peter Preston
Read this Guardian column by Media veteran Peter Preston on a row between the Guardian and the Mail over the controversial MailOnline (ex-) columnist Katie Hopkins. Answer the following questions:
1) Why does Preston suggest that the Daily Mail and MailOnline should be considered to be basically the same publication?
Preston suggests that logically, there is no transition or difference between the two platforms. This is due to their ideologies, world views and content is pretty much the same.
2) How does Preston summarise other newspaper websites?
Preston states "Both are forerunners of what may transpire if print dies a lingering death and all we have left is the whole memory".
3) How many readers does the online-only Independent now boast?
31.1 Million UK readers a month
4) Do you feel the Daily Mail and MailOnline have a different ‘world view’?
I don't believe that they have a different 'world view' as they are both heavily influenced by money as they are money driven companies who publish things that they know will give them high profits.
5) Do you see a future for the paper version of the Daily Mail or will it eventually close like the Independent?
I believe the Daily Mail will one day close completely because as the years go by less people are actively going out and purchasing newspapers, instead they prefer to get their sources of news digitally.
Media Magazine MM55: Media, Publics, Protest and Power
Media Magazine 55 has an excellent feature on power and the media. Go to our Media Magazine archive, click on MM55 and scroll to page 38 to read the article Media, Publics, Protest and Power', a summary of Media academic Natalie Fenton’s talk to the Media Magazine conference in 2015. Answer the following questions:
1) What are the three overlapping fields that have an influence on the relationship between media and democracy?
-Political
-Economic
-Journalistic
2) What is ‘churnalism’ and does MailOnline provide examples of this kind of news gathering?
Churnalism: refers to the idea of 'cutting and pasting' public relations material or rewrites of content - i.e. the content isn't original.
3) Fenton argues that news should serve the public and help democracy. Does MailOnline do this?
I think The Daily Mail does this as they always post stories which directly relate towards the audience. Whichever story has the most clicks is sure to be on the front page of the website.
4) What is infotainment? Is MailOnline guilty of relying on this kind of content?
Infotainment is broadcast material which is intended to entertain and inform. I think the MailOnline is guilty of this as they offer their readers entertainment and inform them on news and affairs too.
5) Has the internet empowered audiences or is it still dominated by the major media conglomerates? How does MailOnline fit into this?
I believe the internet has empowered audiences due to the fact that it gives them a major platform in which they are able to discuss news stories and express their opinions on different things.
Factsheet 182 - Case Study: The Daily Mail (Part 3) Industrial Context
Finally, read Media Factsheet 182 - Case Study: The Daily Mail (Part 3) Industrial Context and complete the following questions/tasks. You won't be able to access our Factsheet archive now school is closed but you can open this factsheet here if you log in to Google using your School email and password.
1) What do Curran and Seaton suggest regarding the newspaper industry and society?
Curran and Seaton suggest newspapers have to reflect the needs and desires of the reader in order to maintain circulation and readership.
2) Curran and Seaton acknowledge that media ownership in the UK is dominated by what kind of company?
They suggest it's dominated by a conglomerate as most British press in the 1960s and 70s was bought up by big conglomerates.
3) What does the factsheet suggest regarding newspaper ownership and influence over society?
The factsheet suhhests owners of newspapers are able to influence newspapers with their own ideologies and beliefs. One example given by the factsheet is Rupert Murdoch as he wanted war in Iran and his newspapers supported his belief through their own articles.
4) Why did the Daily Mail invest heavily in developing MailOnline in the 2000s?
The Daily Mail believed "We are […] in the middle of a perfect storm of horrifically rising newsprint prices, disappearing classified revenues, diminishing display advertising, the rise of cannibalistic and parasitic Internet sites, the ubiquity of the frees and, now, most worryingly of all, readerships who have less and less disposable income to spend on newspapers.”
5) How does MailOnline reflect the idea of newspapers ‘as conversation’?
The MailOnline relfcts the idea of newspapers as conversation as newspapers are shown to be direct address so it's as if the institution is having a conversation with the reader, updating them on current news.
6) How many stories and pictures are published on MailOnline?
1,000 stories and 10,000 pictures. This shows how the MailOnline takes visual content into consideration a lot.
7) How does original MailOnline editor Martin Clarke explain the success of the website?
Martin Clarke states: “The reason MailOnline has become a success is because we cover the waterfront. It’s all the news you need to know, all the news you wanna know. The big stories. The lighter stories. The completely amazing stories"
8) What does it mean when it says readers are in control of digital content?
Readers are now in control of digital content becuse the content on MailOnline is based on what people are clicking on, therefore they determine what goes up on the website.
9) How is the priority for stories on the homepage established on MailOnline?
The stories that get the most amount of clicks are the ones shown on the front page. By doing this the reader can immediately see which stories are the most interesting due to its popularity.
10) What is your view of ‘clicks’ driving the news agenda? Should we be worried that readers are now ‘in control of digital content’?
I believe that it's a positive thing for readers to be able to in a way control digital content because that way we don't have to be in a situation where the newspaper is constantly shoving their agenda and ideologies in our faces. This way we are able to voice our own opinions on different matters.
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