Name for Paper - Research Evaluation and Final Choice

My research has revealed that the most popular choice for a newspaper name is the 'Hedingham Echo'. This will be my newspaper name.

My questionnaire results, where I surveyed ten people, showed that Hedingham Echo had five votes, while Hedingham Herald had two votes. 'Hedingham Mail', 'Hedingham Free Press' and 'Hedingham Gazette' were also chosen for names.

However, I performed some video questionnaires with members of my target audience to see what they opinions are:
- Hedingham Observer
- Hedingham Free Press
- Hedingham Echo

I could see from this that although it was only picked once, it still proved to show that the Hedingham Echo name is the most popular, so this will be my newspaper name.

Name for Paper - Questionnaire Results

I produced a questionnaire, with a list of newspaper names, to see what name people would be most interested in. This would form basic research into what my chosen name will be.

I asked ten people to respond to my questionnaire. Seven males and three females responded. The majority of the participants I chose were ages 16-20. This is because I wanted to aim my newspaper at a young audience, to get them interested in reading newspapers. Half of the responses said they were 16-20 years old. 3 people were aged 21-30, while there were two people older than 31.

In terms of the name, half of the participants suggested the name of the Hedingham Echo. This could be good because it sounds original, and is easy to remember. The second most popular name was Hedingham Herald. This could be good for alliteration. Other chosen names included The Hedingham Mail, Hedingham Free Press and Hedingham Gazette. I may not choose Hedingham Free Press, or Hedingham Gazette, because other local newspapers use this name.

Name for Paper - Questionnaire

I decided to create a questionnaire to help me decide what the title of my newspaper should be. I used my original ideas from my previous blog post, and compiled them in a form of a questionnaire. I asked my 'target audience' which name would be most suitable. Below is a blank example of the questionnaire.

Name for Paper - Original Ideas

 

These are ideas that I have chosen for newspaper names. These ideas have been created by researching into current local newspaper names and incorporating the 'end names' into my name. I have replaced the location with the location of my newspaper. For example, I have changed the name of the Rochdale Observer (based in Rochdale, Manchester), to the Hedingham Observer. Or the Oxford Mail into the Hedingham Mail. All of these end names have some linkage to delivering information to a person, and informing them.

Initial Research - Target Audience - Audience Research

This video asks several people who they felt the target audience of newspapers are.

I have learned that a variety of people would buy a local newspaper. Mainly, residents in the community will buy the newspaper to analyse what is going on. People from outside the community may also purchase it, to learn about the area. Older aged people may most likely purchase a newspaper.

Initial Research - Audience Theory

In this post, I will be performing research into audience theory, and talk about a range of theories that can relate to my newspaper. I may use some of this information to help me in my exam.

A target audience is a specific group of people who a product is aimed at. The target audience of a newspaper will vary depending on the content and news articles within a newspaper. The structure, language and opinions of the newspaper will also affect the audience. Different strategies could also be used to market the newspaper. Tabloids and Broadsheet newspapers have a national audience, and they will target the newspaper at a larger demographic, compared to a local newspaper, which will be aimed at a much smaller audience.

There are three major theories used in the media, to perform research that allows the target audience to get involved:

1. The Hypodermic Syringe Model
2. 2-Step Flow Model
3. Uses And Gratification Theory

The Hypodermic Syringe Model (also known as the Hypodermic Needle Model) suggests that the media can influence an audience, that was introduced in the 1920's. The theory suggests that an audience can be manipulated through media. Newspapers can be very opinionated, meaning the public can be highly influenced by the media. This is because newspapers, mainly tabloids (such as The Sun), tend to 'spin' stories, and sometimes make a big deal out of a small event. This was developed by Frankfurt School, who said that "media injects a message into the audience".  This theory mainly perceives the audience to be passive.  A limit to this theory is that the audience can be more aware of these messages that are injected into the audience.

The Two-Step Flow Model is when information from the mass media is passed on to a group of opinion leaders, who then share that information with individuals in the public. These 'opinion leaders' can be influential on the 'individuals' and the media. Newspapers can act as Opinion Leaders, because they receive information for news articles from the mass media, and then this information is forwarded to the public (the individuals). This was developed by Katz and Lazarfield. This moves on from the Hypodermic Syringe Model because it does not just think of the audience as passive consumers. A limitation to this theory is that it is biased/very opinionated, which could mean the model will influence people.

The Uses and Gratifications Theory is a theory used which is more focused on the consumer, and focused on 'what media do with media', rather than 'what the media does to the audience'.  The theory suggests that people are responsible for choosing their own media. The internet has played a large part in this theory, where the internet allows us to identify and find new items ourselves. However, this is criticized, because many people feel the public have no control over what the media produces. The reasons for media use include Education, Entertainment, Social interaction and Identification. This was developed by Katz and Blumler in 1974, and expanded by McQuail in 1987. They said that people sought out media products to fulfil needs and desires. This theory is controlled by the audience.

Needs/Desires

• Identify: Find reinforcements for personal values/find role models
• Educate: Find out events, seek advice
• Entertain: Escape/divert from problems, emotional release
• Interact: Social interaction, basis for conversation, sense of belonging

How can I use these theories in my newspaper? 

My newspaper will be aimed at a certain target audience - a range of people based in the village of Sible Hedingham. With these three theories, they all suggest that media influences the opinions of people. My newspaper will include stories which may have had an affect on the area and I will voice a small opinion on the articles, in case readers are influenced by what is said in my newspaper. I can conclude from this that I should not 'spin' stories, or include fictional information, in case people are influenced by the newspaper.

The Hypodermic Syringe Model will be relevant to my coursework, because newspapers will make the audience feel a certain way about an article.

The two-step flow theory will be relevant to my coursework because it will be a way of transferring information to the audience (readers).

The uses and gratifications theory will be relevant to my film because it will educate people in what is going on, and allow others to interact (social interaction).

Initial Research - Questionnaire Conclusion

I performed a questionnaire to learn why people read local newspapers. The results helped me learn that local news and sport is a highly read feature within local newspapers. I can conclude that I should include local news and sport within my final newspaper coursework.

Initial Research - Questionnaire Responses

To investigate further into research of target audience for my coursework, I performed a questionnaire on an audience, to decide why people read newspapers, and what would attract them to read newspapers more. Included below are six responses that I received for my 'target audience' questionnaire.

In my next post, I will conclude the feedback included, talking about what I have learned from this.

Initial Research - Questionnaire

To investigate further into research of target audiences, I have decided to create a questionnaire to help me learn more about readers of newspaper. This could help me decide what content I include in my final coursework piece. After I receive back a series of results, I can then conclude on who my target audience will be for my newspaper. Receiving feedback from this could also give me some ideas on what my newspaper title, and articles could be about. This questionnaire I will give out to a range of members in the public, varying from young males, to older females.