Newspaper news story research
Create ONE blogpost that you return to and update weekly. Call it 'Newspaper news story research'. Then, each week you need to visit the MailOnline website and the Guardian website and choose one story from each to summarise and share.
- Copy the headline, date and link.
- Briefly summarise the story in a sentence or two: is this is an example of hard news or soft news? Does it reflect the politics or ideological stance of that newspaper/website?
- Explain in a sentence how or why this story appeals to the audience of that newspaper (use media terminology and theory if you can). Is it quality journalism or an example of clickbait?
Week ONE
Daily Mail
Andrew's face of shame - 19/02/26
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15575407/Andrew-released-custody-Shamed-former-Prince-walks-free-police-station-arrested.html
An example of hard news, he was detained by officers during an 8am raid of his home on his 66th birthday becoming the first royal to be arrested in modern times because he shared sensitive information to Jeffery Epstein. The article uses language like cowered and shellshocked. The Daily Mail being right wing with conservative values are often supportive of the royal family and the juxtaposition seen when talking about the King and Andrew reinforces this. This appeals to the Daily Mail audience who would be concerned with the royal family.
The Guardian
Trump officials plan to build a 5000-person military base in Gaza, files show - 19/02/26
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/feb/19/trump-gaza-military-plan
According to Board of Peace records reviewed by the Guardian the Trump administration is planning to build a military base including bunkers and warehouses in southern Gaza. A small group of international construction companies are interested and have been shown the area. The article refers to the Board of Peace as legal fiction. The Guardian being a left winged news paper in my opinion remains impartial with this article however you could argue the comment about the Board of Peace may show that they are against the Trump administration. This is another example of hard news talking about politics.
WEEK TWO
How telling that Meghan's joined the ranks of those peddling wellness and fake lifestyle to the gullible
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-15654687/SARAH-VINE-telling-Meghans-joined-ranks-peddling-fake-lifestyles-gullible.html
For the modest sum of £1,400 per person (plus the cost of a flight to Australia), you can recreate the unique joy of that event by signing up for a 'girls' weekend like no other', a three-day retreat in Sydney organised by the creators of Her Best Life podcast at which the Duchess will take part in a 'fireside chat' Q&A - clearly not on Meghan's side, they mock her Netflix show and are annoyed that she is charging this much. This is an example of soft news and is expected as they would cover the royal family for their audience who would probably dislike Meghan and blame her for things
The Guardian
Kemi Badenoch calls Trump's repeated criticisms of Starmer childish
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2026/mar/17/kemi-badenoch-trump-criticisms-starmer-childish
An example of both hard news and soft news. It is about political figures however does not specifically talk about politics but about a remark made by Trump. The guardian is left leaning so it is unusual for them to be talking positively about the conservation party (Kemi Badenoch) however the article is highlighting how good labour is and criticises Trump which follows the ideologies of the newspaper as well as its audience.
WEEK THREE
WEEK FOUR
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