The Times vs BBC Radio 5 live

The Times, a newspaper that is sold world wide every day. The New York Times, The Irish Times and The Times of Malta. The 62 employees that publish the newspaper appeal to an audience of 1.8 million every week. At the newspapers highest point, under the editor, Robert Thomson it sold 692,581 copies a day. At 90p a copy that works out to be £623,322.90, revenue coming in ever day. This year it was also voted as newspaper of the year.

Since it was first published in 1785, under the name of “The Universal Register”, it has appealed to an audience of ABC1’s. It is the paper for CEO’s of companies, both men and women. The paper is also number one ABC1 adults earning £50,000 or more in an age group of 25 to 44. The advertisements in the paper can show easily the type of audience that it attracts. Advertisements such as Gucci, Sony, Audi and M&S. These are all companies that ABC1’s shop with. They are all companies that expensive but affordable for people with a salary of £50,000. This is in contrast to BBC Radio 5 live. As the radio company is owned by the BBC, it is the tax payers that are paying for it. Therefore it can not be elitist; it has to appeal to the masses.

It is primarily a sports radio channel offering many interviews with different sporting celebrities. It has news segments that cover the news of the day. However the main agenda is politics, science matters, the environment and children. They always end with sport but cover the news very well. They focus on many of the same stories as The Times. On the 20th November 2009, BBC Radio 5 live had a phone in on their breakfast show. The question was, “how is the weather affecting you?” This was just after the flooding in Cumbria. Not only is it an environmental story but also a community story. It involves the public. Not only with the phone in but with the question itself. It asks how the public are coping and what the weather is like where they live. In the same week, The Times headline on its front page was, “A month’s rain in 48 hours – and more on the way”. This is a similarity between the paper and the radio station.

When BBC Radio 5 live was first launched from just plain BBC 5 to what it is now The Times described it as, “slipping smoothly and confidently into a routine of informative banter”. This remark describes exactly how BBC 5 aims to be; laid back, with sports interviews and news. This is the opposite of The Times. They are not as laid back. They’re not able to be when their audience are CEO’s and managing directors. The Times has to give news, quickly and with an air of elitism about it. The paper is split into sections. The sections are: News, Opinion, The Daily Universal Register, World, Business and Sport. These are features and news that their audience care about and that want to know about on a daily occurrence. The paper is able to select their audience and select the news they cover whereas BBC Radio 5 live doesn’t have that choice because the tax payers are who keep them running. Just as BBC Radio 5 live can not be pro-active and speak clearly on their political party choice.

It is Rupert Murdoch that owns The Times. Murdoch decides what is written and from what view point. The newspapers political stance is conservative, with David Cameron. This could also mean that many ABC’1s are conservative as they are the target audience. However it could just be the newspapers political stance and the audience still reads it no matter what their political view. This could be because of how well the newspaper covers the news and what features and sections they have in their newspaper; regardless of which political party they follow.

Innocent: Even After Proven Guilty

After today's class I have to admit that I have lost a little faith in our legal system. Knowing that people are in jail and have been branded murderers that are actually innocent makes me wonder what the police actually teach the junior policemen. Instead of teaching them how to look for evidence and how to find the correct criminal, are they teaching them how to blame innocent people, what evidence to hide and how to lie to the public?

There are two well-known groups of people that have not only been branded murderers but have been jailed for longer then life. The two groups are: The Guildford 4 and The Birmingham 6.

The Guildford 4 were put away for 15 years for crimes they didn't commit. They were named and shamed as the people that put a bomb into a pub in Guildford and killing 5 people. It is well-known that it was the IRA that placed the bomb but the actual people are still not known. The police grabbed the first Irish people they could find and pinned it on them. The main person, Gerry Conlan had his father try to help him out and tried to prove that it wasn't his son. Guess what the corrupt police did then... put his father in jail, where he died for absolutely no crime at all.

As it turns out, a murderer can be put away for a minimum of 12 years and then escape to parole and be back on our streets. However, if you're innocent and put away you will be there for life, your entire life, you will only leave in a box... or via the innocence project.

It is for these reasons that I can not wait to start the innocence project. Not only will it be hard work but I think that it is for an amazing reason. I will be helping someone prove their innocence and get them out of prison for a crime they may not have committed.

A film about the Guildford 4, 'In the Name of the Father'.

Investigative Journalism and Me

Today we had a class on investigative journalism. I found this really interesting and found the stories, such as Veronica Guerin, John Sweeney and the Watergate affair really interesting.

I have always said that my ultimate goal is to be editor and chief of a women's fashion magazine such as Cosmopolitan or Vogue however, after today's class I have found another path that really interests me. So much so I think that I would definitely enjoy it as a job. It sounds very hard and secretive but I really feel that going against the usual agenda sounds not only fun and interesting but that it is serving a purpose. The only downside to the job is the death threats and law suits.

To think that I may uncover a scandal with the government or that I can bring down a president with my hard work and persistence only makes me want to work harder. I feel that I am being a tad morbid, finding interesting stories that have journalists killed for simply carrying out their job in the interest of the public but it feels that, that is what would really help out society. I feel that my writing and skills as a journalist would make a difference in the world. These may be childish dreams, I may not know the whole story but I want to make a difference with my writing. I want people to read my articles and voice their own opinion. I want my writing to be worthwhile and make a difference.

I really admire Veronica Guerin, after having her knees blown off and still naming those responsible took a lot of guts. She could have taken the warning and shut up but she didn't, she named and framed those that were doing wrong. I'm not sure I would have the same courage but I do know that when I am a fully fledged journalist I want to write about things that matter. Whether it be fashion for Cosmo or unearthing a deadly scam by a pharmaceutical company I do not yet know. Who knows which path I'll follow?

Holly Willoughby: My style Icon

Hey followers, I'm entering a competition by Cosmopolitan and The Clothes Show Live with this article.  The requirements were to write about your style icon and why. This is what I wrote.  

Please leave some critical comments for me, I'll be sending it off soon. Thanks.

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I have chosen Holly Willoughby as my style icon as she represents the real women in the UK. Real women are curvaceous and shop on the high street, as does Holly. Real women aren’t stick thin, they can’t all afford Dolce and Gabbana and Jimmy Choo shoes; no matter how much they may want to.  In many magazines Holly is pictured looking amazing but in high street brands such as Topshop and Littlewoods.  All brands that are affordable but are still able to make their owner look awesome. This is something I admire a great deal; Holly knows her body’s shape and style and doesn’t try to radically diet into fitting into a size zero.

Celebrities, like Holly, that know their body shape and stick with it inspire me not to crash diet and not to worry about my body shape too much. I am relatively slim but I have curves and lumps and bumps but I don’t mind, I dress sensibly and I know that I look good. Holly is a great icon to have I believe, as she, like me, wears what suits her, thus making her look better for it.

My ultimate goal in life is to become an editor at a glossy woman’s magazine.  I know my goals and I like to believe that they are achievable.  I was very impressed when Holly took over from Fern Britton, to co-host This Morning with Phil Schofield. It is a massive achievement, and especially for someone as young Holly Willoughby. Holly is in the public eye amongst women of all shapes, sizes, ages and of confidence levels.  Seeing someone so young take over a major television role inspires many people that they can achieve whatever they want.

Holly Willoughby also expresses the value of Cosmopolitans tagline, “fun, fearless, females”. Holly incorporates them in everything she does. In some of her photo shoots she wears bikinis and underwear, she is proud of her body and proud to show it off in a tasteful manner. She incorporates being sexy with fun and flirty, never taking just one to the extreme. When watching her on, This Morning she is like a breath of fresh air.  She is young and fun as well as being fearless with her job opportunities. She is my style icon for these reasons as well as her amazing dress sense.  It’s fun and funky as well as being fashionable and readily available for anyone and everyone.

Another reason for Holly Willoughby being my style icon is that not only does she wear clothes from the high street but also she is now providing clothes for everyone with her best pal, Fearne Cotton. Together they have produced their new range, Very, a range of clothing to suit anybody, old or young, fat or thin.

It is for all these reasons that holly Willoughby is my style icon.  She can look amazing in anything, high street or designer. Everything she does, within her career and her private life is flawless, she is a role model to anyone, and very much deserves to be.