Ariel Landron
MMJ-211
11/07/2014
As we know newspapers form part of our daily life since they inform us by giving a direct view of the events currently happening in the cultural, social, and political aspect of today’s society. There are many interesting sections within each publisher, from which each offers a different point of view in subjects such as politics, sports, economics, and violence. All of them can provide the reader with an idea of to which kind of public it is intended to, by the way the information is presented, and the type of language is used to describe the event. However, the section within each newspaper that may actually provide you with a bigger picture of to whom its content is directed to, culturally, is the classified section as well as the advertisements all over the pages. Most of the section within each individual newspaper differs on its structure, but uses the same socio-cultural approach to make this section a bit more attractive to the type of reader it is intended.
This socio-cultural approach is reflected on advertisements that populate each and every section of newspapers, some of which belong to business with well-known names such as “Macys”. In the “New York Times”, this name stands up on most of the advertisements on this publisher; it offers goods such as watches, jewelries, luxury clothes from brands such as “Prada” and “Gucci”. Macys, also has advertisements in other newspapers such as the “Dailynews”, and the “New York Post”, however, they are not as well presented in detail to its readers, in both of this newspaper there wasn’t but one ad from Macys which in fact was the someone that shown on the Times for sport clothes. This is one of the clues within the New York times that reflects to whom it is directed to since most of the goods are expensive, which may lead to the conclusion that this ads are directed to the wealthy, business people, with some education, and taste for luxury.
Unlike the “Times”, the “Post” and “Dailynews”, have other type of readers, which is mirror in the way they present the goods as well; both of these publishers, offer their public sales on cars, furniture, home appliances, and perfumes at a price that they can actually afford. Ads from “Models” are shown on both papers in a simpler format, which shows the clothes and its variety in colors as well as the prices, something that isn’t done by the times. It uses color as well to attract the reader’s attention, in contrast to the times, which is all black and white, as a way to show exclusivity and uniqueness of the item in question; both of these papers are intended to a public with same education, with less income, or those within the minority.
Furthermore, another type of advertisement that supports my argument would be entertainment, since each publisher presents announces about, movies and theater. The “Times” for example has a big section of plays, Broadway shows, as well as operas, which in a sense reflects its intention to get the attention of readers with college education that might have been able to develop appreciation for art. The “Times” movie ads section, is smaller since it only shows movies that are base ether real stories, classics, or social issue from which its public can learn more about the subject. In Contrast to the “Times”, the “Post” and “Dailynews” have a wider selection of ads that are within the entertainment category, it has a more extensive movie ads section, as well as ads about night clubs, casinos, and hot lines, which is presented to a more liberal adult public.
Moreover, the “Post” as well as the “Dailynews”, give their biggest clue of to whom their content is directed to, in ads about education. Nurse, and technician certified trainings are offers as a way for the reader to know what options they have to get a better job, get some education, and have a better income, unlike the “Times”, which does not have ads about education, since it is already published for the wealthy and educated. Information from schools such as “APEX” and their financial aid options are a great example of how the Post and the Dailynews intention to reach the minority. Another example would be a single ad about healthcare which is only on the pages of the Dailynews. It shows that this paper, out of the three in question, intents to connect to in a way to accommodate the different cultures, within the minority.
In addition, all three newspapers use a cultural approach to get the public’s attention and in a way allow the reader to see some of their cultural identity illustrated in many of the ads on each publisher. The “Times” , for example as we mentioned, uses colorless pictures to show a bit more of the items uniqueness and elegance, which is mostly use in a business environment, since presentation says a lot about the way that a professional business or wealthy person carry themselves. Ads about clothing brands such as, “Prada”, and “Gucci”, also illustrates how the “Times” tries to make readers from a higher social group feel comfortable while reading a newspaper that understand their way of life and customs. On the contrary, the “Post” and “Dailynews”, uses ads from retail companies such as “Models”, to connect with readers from a lower income group, interested in sports such as “Latinos” and “Afro-Americans”, and example that supports this idea is the way the ad is designed with colorful images, and the price gives a sense of how much the item will cost; unlike “Times”, which assumes the reader is wealthy and does not show a price on the items.
Furthermore, even though each paper has its own type of reader, they all have something in common. The section called “classified” holds may of the similitudes shared by papers analyzed on this essay. This section has jobs openings, services, and even people selling their cars. In the “Times”, however, this section and has only job openings for people with ether college education or some kind of training related to the area of The job opening. On the other hand the “Post”, illustrate general jobs which also offer trainings as well as trainings for people who haven’t finished college, and services such as psychics that relate cultural belief of ethnic groups that are part of the minority. In addition, The “Dailynews”, uses a different approach on this section, even though it has jobs openings, people selling “hot dogs tracks”, and vacation packages. It also, uses the idea of the “American Dream” of owning a house, by having a section called “Home Classified”, which sells houses at a low price, and provides information as well about certified training, that will help readers to get job, and allow them to fulfill this dream.
To conclude, all these newspaper, have different approach to the way the present news to the public, or the advertisements they post on their pages. However, their mission is to make the reader feel welcome and comfortable while they are reading or just looking at different advertisement and the content within them. Some focus on a specific ethnic or social group, which is what really drives them to have a specific format and content within their publications.
Bibliography.
2014, November, 06. New York Times.
2014, November, 06. New York Post.
2014, November, 06. DailyNews.
Recent Comments