Newspaper Language: Daily Mail Example

Hello folks and now it is time to write! Before you write, read!

it is me Dr. Al and I want to share with you some ideas about writing. We spoke about these issues on our teams-meeting, but here comes a written account of it for those of you who could not attend.

When preparing your newspaper assignment pay close attention to your case study — we also describe this attentive reading as ‘close reading’ — every single detail matters!

The first element to note is the theme: In the picture above, we see a celebration of monarchy and the royal family. This is a characteristic ‘ideological’ feature of Daily Mail. This newspaper is traditionalist and conservative. It supports long-held ideas about British values, national identity, politics, morality and lifestyle. This article exemplifies a conventional and unquestionable adoration of the Queen and the royal family as an iconic symbols of British identity. This particular way of understanding national and cultural life marks the worldview of this newspaper. When you choose your topic think about similar ideas: what is ‘traditionally’ British? A public figure? An institution? A way of life? Would Daily Mail be interested in celebratory presentation of another public event that holds similar status? A ritual of public commemoration? Inauguration of a public duty? A distinguished person visiting Jersey?

Second feature: Headline. Written in large fonts, this piece features a quotation ‘I ‘ve been humbled and deeply touched’. We also describe this as a ‘pullquote‘ (when you pull a statement out of the person that your piece pays tribute to). Why did they choose this statement? Because it is uncontroversial, kind and clear. It proves that the Queen is highly respectable, kind and considerate. She is both ‘humbled’ that can be also be translated as modest, reserved and ‘touched’ — which implies her being sensitive, emotionally wise. All these are features that are traditionally associated with the Queen and her moral icon. Think about your own headline. It does not have to be a pullquote. But how can it grab the attention of the reader? It is very important to be short, clear and poignant. Something that would invite the reader to read more, but also summarize the essence of the whole piece. The main idea of the whole story in one sentence. Think about your words, the adjectives that describe the person that you are speaking about.

What follows is the ‘standfirst’ part of the piece. A few lines that introduce the main ideas of the piece Queen Hopes ‘renewed sense of togetherness’ will be felt for years to come… and says she remains committed to serving us all’. These few line expand the meaning and the details of the headline. The key word here is ‘togetherness’ — another important ‘value’. The Queen unites the nation, brings everyone together and all become one. The font is large (but not as large as the headline’). So again think of one or two sentences that can explain, expand and summarise the story and the ideas you are going to explore in the main body of your text.

Finally the visual positioning of people in space, what we call ‘proxemics‘ and the distance of the camera from them ‘para-proxemics.’ Firstly, it is very important that the photograph covers half the space of the broadsheet: visuals are as important information as words. This is key strategy of this newspaper which sometimes allows the photographs to talk for themselves. So in terms of positioning: the Queen is the distinguishing figure so she is right the centre, the protagonist of the story. The photograph offers a quite detailed image of all the royal family, we can see their facial expression, posh dressing, humble body language and family unity. The royals appear close but also distant. These visuals allow the reader to have a closer view of the royals, but at the same time, confirms the higher status of the people who are photographed. Keep this in mind when you photograph your own people or landscapes. How can your visuals emphasize their status, emotions and public symbolism?