Newspapers: Codes and conventions

Newspapers generally come in two main formats: broadsheet or tabloid. Broadsheets are usually associated with more serious and in-depth journalism, while tabloids are known for sensationalised headlines and a focus on more popular topics.
The layout of newspapers, including placement of stories, use of images and choice of font, can give visual clues about the importance of different stories and the newspaper’s overall style and approach.
Realise that newspapers have predictable sections including news, opinion, features, and sport – each with its own set of conventions.

Recognise that headlines are designed to catch the attention of the reader, often using puns, colloquial language or dramatic phraseology.
Understand that subheadings or ‘standfirsts’ are commonly used to give a brief outline of the story, often in a more neutral tone than the headline.
Newspapers use a specific style of introductory paragraph, called a ‘lead’, to provide key information about the story.

Images in newspapers are not selected randomly, but are considered to enforce or enhance the text or serve as metaphors. This is also called a denotative function.
Pay attention to the connotative function of images as well, which refers to the secondary messages and meanings these images may suggest.
Newspapers often include infographics like charts or diagrams to help illustrate complex stories, making them more accessible to the audience.
Newspapers use a standardised vocabulary known as ‘journalese’, with phrases and stylistic features that you wouldn’t typically find in everyday speech.

Newspapers always have a target demographic, which can influence the type of news covered, as well as the paper’s writing style.
A newspaper’s political stance or bias will drive its choice of stories, its presentation of news and the opinions it promulgates.
Note that tabloid newspapers often prioritise human-interest stories, celebrity gossip, and scandal, while broadsheets tend to focus on political and international news.
Newspapers serve multiple functions: they aim to inform their audience, to provide a platform for debate and discussion, and to influence public opinion.