Task 3 - Semiotic Analysis

Semiotics is a theory/study used to work out signs and symbols; in particular parts of language, Systems of communication.

The Sun tabloid Newspaper Front page Article ‘Gotcha’

‘The Sun’- white text on red background - is a masthead written in both upper and lower case. The lowercase letters are less formal for a tabloid newspaper aimed at the masses, replicating the style of the Daily Mirror italic on another tabloid newspaper of the day.

The stereotypical audience of this newspaper looks for sensational news

The banner headline using the word ‘Gotcha’ supports this. It misses out unimportant words and captures the reader’s attention by using slang in what some might have seen as a tasteless, coldblooded statement. The thin bold typeface takes up at least one quarter of the space allocated for the article standing out centrally in the top third of the page , to be read first before anything else is seen by the reader. The term ‘GOTCHA’, occupying a quarter of the page’s whitespace, captures the nation’s mood at that time when war with Argentina was about to erupt. It implies that there has been some challenge and someone has been caught. It lures the reader into wanting to read on although their eye is then drawn to two photographs rather than written text. The term could be seen as tasteless when it becomes clear some people may have died.

The word ‘our’ which appears throughout the article, is the only word subconsciously read as the reader’s eye is drawn to the two photographs on the left of the page below the headline. They also aim to evoke patriotic feelings showing these are of a boat like the one that was sunk and the Belgrano that was crippled and put the article in context. They are positioned

Initial words in the captions below each picture are in capitals with italic serif typeface using the words ‘SUNK’ and ‘CRIPPLED’. These have immediate connotations of conflict to underpin the connotations of the headline. The space covered by both photographs, and their captions, is broadly similar to that given to the strapline, which is bold and underlined to the right of the photographs to emphasize the significance of the work of ‘our lads’. By using the term ‘our’ the editor is confident of a positive response from the public. ‘Our’ captures the reader’s attention immediately, so the event is very personal as if we are all in this together. It also celebrates and glorifies the sinking of a gunboat and holing of a cruiser creating a myth that the action is just.

The article uses the word WALLOP twice implies that this has been a ‘jokingly’ easy task at the Argentinians’ expense. However, using the slang word ‘Argies’ evokes prejudice and racism, playing on the editor’s understanding of the mood of the country. THE NAVY is written in capitals emphasizing its significance in what has taken place. The subheading: ‘MAJOR’, Major shares an ideology about the Navy being in total command.

Despite the positive stance for the action taken a sub-article is ‘tucked’ in the bottom left hand corner of the page: UNION BOYCOTTS WAR and written in italics to separate it from the rest of the text. This is a mainly factual article but the layout seems interesting with the word ‘believes’ spread in the final column to work subconsciously again leaving the reader asking the question: Does everyone else believe it is right to withhold support for crews of merchant ships to be unsupported by unions? Even crews themselves have been non-commital at this stage.