Week One
How has the readership changed between free and paid-for newspaper in Europe over the last ten years?
The topic within this question is all about the readership in Europe of the free and paid for newspapers. The issue of debate within this question is has the readership changed over the 10 years? How has this readership changed? Why has it changed? The object of study I have chosen to use in my research is paid-for newspaper ‘the Sun’, and free newspaper ‘Metro’. The method I would use would be policy documents and statistics (primary research).
To answer this question I would need to read, identify and interpret documents which show the difference in readership for the newspapers in Europe over the last ten years, particularly the two I have chosen as my object of study. I will locate and identify these submissions by accessing their digital archive on the internet, at www.ofcom.gov.uk .
In a quote from the World Association of Newspapers (2007) it is said “Daily paid titles, recorded an average 17% growth from 9533 to a record breaking 11142 titles between 2002 and 2006.” Also from the World Association of Newspapers (2009) it is said that “Global newspaper sales were up 2.3% in the last year, and then 9.48% in the past five years.”
Studying statistics and policy documents is a key way and method into helping us understand, how things have changed over the years. Positives of using this method are that data is everywhere, and it is very easily located, and you can very easily use them in your studies.
Limitations of using this method, would be that as they are so vast, some often may not apply to what you are studying and you can not use them to conduct your research.
A quote from ‘The Future of Newspapers’ (2009) reveals that “526 paid weekly and 637 free weekly papers have enjoyed relative stability, with some showing a modicum growth.”
My tips for using the methods of statistics and policy documents would be to make sure that the data completely applies to what you are studying, as otherwise it will not apply, and will not make sense. Also, as they are so easy to find, using the first lot of statistics you find is not always the best, keep looking through them to see if you can improve your methods.
Week Two
How important is the emerging role of ‘blogs’ in traditional journalistic organisations?
The topic within this question is the role of blogs in journalistic organisations. The issue of debate within this question is whether or not these blogs are important? Why do journalistic organisations now have blogs? Where did these blogs come from? Are the blogs making a good impact? These would be a few questions to consider. The object of study I would choose to use would be ‘The Guardian’ newspapers online blog. The method I would use to research this question would be interviews, and integrating it with work place ethnography.
To answer this question, I would construct interviews with various journalistic organisations to find out how important emerging roles of blogs are inside these organisations, especially that of ‘The Guardian’, whose online blog is my object of study, to see if they are useful creation or not useful at all to an organisation. I could also integrate this with work place ethnography, to look at the practices of the organisation, and see if blogs come under one of these.
Studying and conducting interviews is a key way of finding out in important information from workers at these journalistic organisations. You can really find out what goes on in an organisation from people who are on the inside.
From the article, “Journalism and Blogging” by Wilson Lowrey and Jenn Burleson Mackay, it says “The percentage of news websites in the sample that host blogs has nearly doubled since last year, growing from 33 percent in April 2005 to 61 percent in March 2006. About 37 percent of the sites had pages specifically designated for blogs, and about 33 percent of the sites had a ‘‘blog’’ link button on the site’s main navigation bar. More than half of the editors said bloggers posted commentary about their publication at least once a week, and about a fourth said commentary was posted daily. Nearly three-quarters of editors said reporters had used blogs as news sources, but only about 16 percent said this happened at least once a week. Sixty percent said blogpostings had been discussed in news meetings, and 17 percent said blogs were discussed in meetings at least once a week.”
The positives of using the method of interviews would be that the interviewer (yourself) can clarify the questions, and make sure the respondents respond in the correct way rather than if the interviewer had no control the research could be different. A limitation of an interview, could be that the respondent may not be very confident in answering the questions when under pressure, so may not give a full response.
My top tips for using this method, would be to ensure all questions are not to complex for the respondent understands clearly, and can answer them. Also making the respondent comfortable and calm, so if they are under confident they open up more, and you get the full research you want.
Week Four
What sense of identity do teenage girls develop through their reading of adolescent magazines?
The topic within this question is the identity girl’s gain through reading magazines. The issue of debate with the question is how the identities develop. The object of study I would use for this study would be teenage magazines “Sugar” and “More!”. The method of research I would use would be focus groups.
To answer the question I would set up a number of focus groups, with between 4-6 teenage girls in each group. To discuss whether they read adolescent magazines, and to see if these magazines effect their identities of themselves. I’d like to find out whether or not because they see a female reflected in these magazines in a certain way, that they aspire to be similar to them instead of being their own individual person. Also whether or not they learn more things from these adolescent magazines.
Studying focus groups is a good way to conduct research, as you get lots of different opinions, and the participants often are encouraged to discuss their thoughts and opinions more openly when provoked by other people participating in the focus groups thoughts on the matter.
A quote from the journal “More sugar?: Teenage magazines, gender displays and sexual learning” written by Mary Jane Kehily says “Abstract teenage magazines such as and More’ Sugar have been the subject of some controversy in Britain recently. Media attention has indicated that such magazines are too sexually explicit for young women and one Member of Parliament declared that the magazines ’rob girls of their innocence’.”
A quote from the journal “Encoding Teenage Girls Magazine Quizzes” written by Amy Pattee says “Recent and historical research examining magazines written and produced for adolescent girls draws from the body of academic work that looks at media created with a female audience in mind including women’s magazines, romance novels, and soap operas. In addition, this research draws from the growing body of “girls’ studies” literature that critiques gendered norms of childhood and adolescence and the products created to address and perhaps even encourage these adult conceptions of youth.”
A positive of using focus groups is that you can draw upon participants thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, experiences and reactions to the discussion you are presenting them with. Compared with other methods, you can also gain a great deal of information in such a short period of time.
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