A report on comparing newspapers

For this task I am comparing different news papers which all cover the same story. My reasoning for this is to see how much space is devoted to the story, how many journalists are working on the story, if the paper has a strong opinion on the subject of the story as well as other things like where in the paper is it featured? For example, is it on the front page or somewhere else?

My chosen story –

My chosen story is about the junior doctors current issue and affair which is on-going in the UK. Today, printed in the papers and published online is the next instalment of this developing story where the Junior doctors have agreed to have a temporary halt to strikes in exchange for talks where a new contract may finally resolve the whole dispute.

Newspaper 1: The Guardian

Story found here – http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/may/04/junior-doctors-agree-temporary-halt-to-strikes-in-exchange-for-talks
Written by – Denis Campbell, Health policy editor

My first chosen newspaper/news outlet is The Guardian. This is where I found the story initially and where I then went and branched off onto other websites that provide news. I found the story first because on the front page the story is displayed close to the top right of all the front page articles.

This screenshot shows evidence of the article being at the top of the page and just below the weather. Because the article is put at the top of the website, to the side of the news about polls opening in the UK, this means that the contents and what the subject is about is important. I think this is justified because the affair is on-going and current, on top of this I also think its justified because this brings new light into the story and carries on the development of older stories made on the story.

Does the website/newspaper have a strong opinion or bias?

The newspaper itself doesn’t show to have a strong opinion either for or against the protesting but remains a neutral stand point in which quotes are used to help create a bigger picture and inform the reader of the situation. This is good because a news papers job is to present the news and inform people of issues around the world right now. Social bias and the bias of the journalist itself should be kept clear from the papers as that will deviate from the actual purpose of what a newspaper is itself.

More proof of the article by The Guardian remains at a neutral standpoint on the situation is in the the headline; “Junior doctors agree to temporary halt to strikes in exchange for talks”. The headline used and created for the article remains neutral and doesn’t lean to any side of opinion.

Is the content of the article interesting?

The Guardians article on this story has interesting information to say the least as the story is filled with quotes from reputable sources such as Prof Simon Wessely, the president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists and also gives insight into both sides of the story. It’s structured in a way that keeps you reading and progress the situation in your head step by step till the end which leaves you after reading it all, feeling fulfilled and understanding of the topic.

Newspaper 2: BBC News

Story found here – http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-36209321
Written by – Hugh Pym, Health Editor

My second chosen website/newspaper to look at is none other than BBC News. I chose to look at this website next for my comparison between newspapers because I was familiar with the website and knew the story would be featured on this site without question.

On the website of BBC News, the article itself is presented as the second article on the homepage just below the news of election day which seems to be a popular theme so far. Evidence of the story being just under the first article of the homepage is seen here:

Again like my last website I looked at this story, the fact its featured on the homepage and is the second article featured on the site, shows off its importance and reveals to the viewer that a new instalment as well as more information on the story has come out. There isn’t much to say about its placement that hasn’t already been said to be honest, so on that note I will move onto other parts of the article.

Does the website/newspaper have a strong opinion or bias?

Much like The Guardian, the BBC is a very professional and reputable news outlet which brings you the news at a high standard which isn’t filled with logical fallacies or opinionated views by the journalist. In the article, a mature and educated view is given on the subject where everything is kept to a neutral stand point in order to deliver the news professionally.

One thing the BBC does do different to The Guardian is the headline, in The Guardians headline, simple language is used to appeal to all readers as well be understandable by viewers of a lower reading skill or age. Where as in the article from the BBC, more sophisticated language is employed as well as buzzwords too which captivate and draw in the viewer but remain at a higher intellectual standpoint in the headline; Junior doctors' dispute: Proposal aimed at breaking deadlock.

Is the content of the article interesting?
Personally, I think the content of the article is interesting but I can see where others would feel otherwise and fall short. The language and writing used remains in a simply constructed way but with short sentences and quotes but what stand out and puts it apart from the rest is the actual language and writing inside.

Inside the article the writing remains like the title, a sophisticated way of thinking and developing the story as the article goes on is used in the quotes given and to cater to their audience of people who read. My main point here is that The Guardian catches the attention of a younger audience of people who are young adults or teenagers as well as adults so the language is simpler but BBC News has a much more mature and older audience and so the stories written for the site are written in a way which appeals to someone of more maturity and intelligence.

Newspaper 3: The Mirror 

Story found here – http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/jeremy-hunts-fight-junior-doctors-7890253
Written by – Dan Bloom

The Mirror features a different side of the story which is intended to blast Jeremy Hunt for what he has done instead of covering the news about the talks which are in exchange. This is completely different to the story of which The Guardian and the BBC featured. And also features a bias of which I will go into more later on.

To find this article, I had to go through a lot more as it wasn’t present on the front page of the website. To find this article I actually had to google “The Mirror junior doctors” as seen here:

What this says to be is that I don’t think the mirror felt this story was as important as others, especially two after being published and since then, no update on the current affairs of junior doctors has been made. Because of this, it has led me to believe that the mirrors viewer base and readers cares less about this subject as compared to that of The Guardian or BBC News.

Does the website/newspaper have a strong opinion or bias?

Yes, I think this article has a strong opinion on the subject and bias. My reasoning for this is in the headline itself; Jeremy Hunt's fight with junior doctors exposed by his own department as 'a castle built on sand’. This headline puts Jeremy Hunt under fire and shows a clean bias where The Mirror is in favour of the junior doctors on strike.

Despite this, I still think the journalist who has written the article has kept to neutral stand point as best as possible like someone who writes for a news company should do. Someone who writes with an opinionated bias and their thoughts is not a news article but more of a blog on their views on the subject. This article falls into that from the headline to draw people in but then returns to a professional standard of writing afterwards once it gets into the actual article.

Is the content of the article interesting?

The content of this article is interesting to me because it features and covers a controversial topic as well as features quotes from people who feel strongly about the topic and are affected by it.

“Shadow Health Secretary Heidi Alexander added: “Jeremy Hunt has wasted most of the last year picking a fight with junior doctors by claiming his new contract would deliver a seven-day NHS.”” Is interesting because the information you get from the quote gives a bigger picture to the issue as well as expands on the story and article thus far.

Another point in which makes the article interesting is because the article features a lot of images which help add to the initial headline and supporting text of the article. What I noticed with the other articles I looked at from different sites is that the articles have some pictures to support the information provided but The Mirror incorporates the most images as well as features a poll at the end asking for the public and any viewers to give fourth their input.

Newspaper 4: The Telegraph

Story found here – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/05/02/doctors/
Written by – Steven Swinford, deputy political editor 

 
For my fourth article I am featuring the on-going story developed by The Telegraph. The article itself isn’t featured on the front page and to find this article I had to do a google search of “telegraph junior doctors’” and the result is the fifth one down.

This is evidence of the article being the fifth one down on the google search and shows how important this news is to the readers as even older articles and stories reported on the on-going affair are above the latest information of the story.

Does the website/newspaper have a strong opinion or bias?

From reading this article I don’t think The Telegraph or the writer has a strong opinion towards or against the situation at hand. This is a good thing because as like I’ve repeated throughout the whole of this documents, the point of a news story is to remain a neutral standpoint and deliver the news whilst informing and giving the reader/viewer both sides of the argument if needed and leaving their opinions and thoughts behind.

I think what this article does best is explore the thoughts and feelings of those involved and not just displaying someone with a sign up but by videos of people like Jeremy Hunt and David Cameron.

Is the content of the article interesting?

The article displays a lot of statistics and information on what junior doctors do and earn as well as information on safe-working which no other article as done. This is completely unique to every other article I have looked at and really stands out and help with the closing of the story. It’s additional information which is completely optional but will help strength or create a bigger understanding of how the reader feels by the end of it.

Going back to the point I made earlier about video clips, this is another unique selling point of The Telegraph’s article. No other article I have looked at so far has done this and it really helps the article a lot. This and coupled being coupled with the basic level of English used so more people can understand it makes the article for me at least the best one to read and continue wanting to read on.