Newspapers: The Guardian newspaper and website CSP

 The Guardian CSP: Blog tasks

Work through the following tasks to complete your case study on the Guardian newspaper and website. 

The Guardian newspaper and website analysis

Use your own purchased copy plus the notable front pages above to answer the following questions - bullet points/note form is fine. 

1) What are the most significant front page headlines seen in the Guardian in recent years?

One major front page is the phone hacking scandal involving Milly Dowler, where The Guardian exposed illegal voicemail hacking by News of the World. This was highly significant because it led to the closure of the paper and the Leveson Inquiry, showing the power of investigative journalism.

Another major front page is the Brexit day cover (31 January 2020), where the small Union flag placed against a large cliff visually suggested uncertainty and division after Brexit. The image communicates national isolation rather than celebration.

The Boris Johnson partygate report front page is also highly significant. The headline “The verdict on Johnson” presents direct political accountability and frames Boris Johnson critically, especially through the image of him turned away from the reader, which implies political decline and judgement.

On the current website, headlines such as criticism of Keir Starmer, climate policy, war spending, and public services show that The Guardian continues to prioritise politics and global affairs rather than celebrity led stories.

2) Ideology and audience: What ideologies are present in the Guardian? Is the audience positioned to respond to stories in a certain way?

The Guardian usually shows a centre left and liberal point of view. It often focuses on fairness, equality, climate issues, human rights and holding powerful people accountable. This can be seen in the front page about Boris Johnson and partygate, where the headline “The verdict on Johnson” clearly presents him in a critical way. The image of him facing away from the reader also makes him look weaker and isolated. This means the audience is encouraged to question people in power and think seriously about political issues. The newspaper assumes its readers want detailed information and thoughtful analysis rather than simple or sensational stories.

3) How do the Guardian editions/stories you have studied reflect British culture and society?

The editions studied show that British society is strongly affected by politics and public debate. The Brexit front page, with a small Union flag on a beach, suggests uncertainty and division, showing how Brexit created mixed feelings in Britain rather than unity. The phone hacking story about Milly Dowler shows how important media ethics and press freedom are in Britain because it led to major national discussion and change. Recent website stories about schools, energy prices, unemployment and government problems also reflect what people in Britain are concerned about in everyday life. Overall, The Guardian presents Britain as a society where politics and fairness are very important.

Now visit the Guardian newspaper website and look at a few stories before answering these questions:

1) What are the top stories? Are they examples of soft news or hard news? 

The top stories on the The Guardian website are mainly hard news because they focus on serious political, economic and international issues. The main story about Keir Starmer and the Mandelson controversy is hard news because it involves government, leadership and public accountability. Other major stories about Iran, UK energy policy, unemployment and Ukraine are also hard news because they deal with current affairs that have real social and political importance. There are also some soft news stories lower down the page, such as features about food, sport and lifestyle, but the homepage clearly gives most importance to hard news first.

2) To what extent do the stories you have found on the website reflect the values and ideologies of the Guardian?

The stories strongly reflect The Guardian’s liberal and centre left values because many focus on holding powerful people accountable and looking at global problems seriously. The political stories question government decisions rather than simply reporting them, which shows the newspaper values scrutiny and public debate. The presence of stories about climate change, public services, energy and international conflict also reflects. Even when covering economics, the stories often focus on how decisions affect ordinary people.

3) Think about audience appeal and gratifications: what would an audience enjoy about the Guardian newspaper website?

An audience would enjoy the website because it offers a wide range of content in one place. Readers can quickly access politics, world news, economics, technology, opinion pieces, sport and lifestyle content, which gives both information and variety. The layout is clear and easy to follow, with large images and short summaries that help readers choose stories quickly. Audiences may also enjoy the opinion section because it offers different viewpoints and encourages debate. This gives gratification through information, education and personal interest, while features and lighter stories provide entertainment as well.

The Guardian newspaper Factsheet

Read Media Factsheet #257 The Guardian Newspaper. You can access it from our Media Factsheet archive on the Media Shared drive or download it here via Google using your school login details. Answer the following questions:

1) Who owns the Guardian and what is their ownership designed to achieve? 

The Guardian Media Group (GMG) and The trust was originally created in 1936 to “secure the financial and editorial independence of The Guardian” and to “safeguard the journalistic freedom and liberal values” of the paper from “commercial or political interference.”

2) How is the Guardian regulated? Note its very unusual regulatory approach and give examples where you can. 

In The Guardian’s case, they have formed their own regulatory board with The Financial Times and are not regulated by IPSO. They are the only British national daily to conduct an annual social, ethical, and environmental audit since 2003, in which they examine, under the scrutiny of an independent external auditor, their own behaviour as a company. For example, they have been criticised for their coverage of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, for which they commissioned an audit.

Fairness: Israel - Palestine

The Guardian

The Israel-Palestine conflict is perhaps the most controversial aspect of our editorial coverage. It comes under closer scrutiny than any other topic, with every word we publish being studied by self-apponted monitors on both sides. We get criticised by Palestinian interests for what we write, but this is heavily outweighed by supporters of Israel, who often mount orchestrated waves of complaint to the paper. So how do our values of honesty, cleanness [integrity], courage, openness and a sense of duty to the reader and the wider community stack up in this complex arena?

3) Pick out some key statistics on the Guardian's audience (see beginning of page 2).

The demographic of the readership is 86% ABC1. Fifty-four percent of The Guardian readers are

male, and the average age of the print reader is 54.

The people who read the newspaper and online are interested in left-leaning politics and social issues, mainly social progressives [reformers] psychographic.

The circulation for the newspaper is 3.2 million monthly, and the digital readership is 18.4 million. This compares favourably to other quality newspapers in the UK.

The Guardian is also online and is now the 3rd largest individual newspaper website in the world, delivering news to over 62 million unique browsers worldwide every month, with almost two-thirds of these coming from outside of the UK.

4) What are the institutional values of the Guardian? What does it stand for?   

Guardian Media Group is a global news organisation that delivers fearless, investigative journalism – giving a voice to the powerless and holding power to account. Our independent ownership structure means we are entirely free from political and commercial influence. Our values determine the stories we choose to cover – relentlessly and courageously.

The Guardian’s tone, style, and content are shaped by their values. They are a quality newspaper that adopts a formal tone. In the past, their final manual typesetting editing was not as sharp as other newspapers, which led to it being called The Grauniad, a mocking joke on its name. Nowadays, The Guardian is a highly respected global newspaper that has had some major journalistic scoops, such as investigating Uber for breaking laws, playing a role in the BBC documentary that accused Tim Westwood, a famous DJ, of sexual misconduct, and covering stories about cyberstalking and equipment shortages in Ukraine during the war.

5) How is the Guardian's international audience described? See the end of page 2 and pick out some more useful statistics here about their audience .

According to The Guardian’s advertising information, its audience is a “global audience [that] is affluent and well educated with a passion for the arts, literature, film, sports, and travel. They are frequent visitors to the site and value its investigative journalism and trustworthy approach to international news coverage”.

6) Now look at page 3 of the factsheet and the Guardian online. Select a few examples of the different sections of the website and copy them here. 

The News section includes major hard news stories such as the headline about Keir Starmer and the Mandelson controversy, alongside stories about Iran, unemployment, energy prices and Ukraine. This section focuses on current affairs, politics and global events.

The Features section contains softer stories designed more for interest and entertainment, such as the article about AI job scams, the feature on Lando Norris, and personal lifestyle stories. These are less urgent than hard news and offer variety for readers.

The Long Read section includes in-depth articles, such as the story about hunters in Africa and wildlife. This section gives readers detailed analysis and longer investigative pieces rather than short headlines.

The Opinion section contains comment articles written by journalists and columnists, where different writers give their views on politics and society. For example, there are opinion pieces about government policy, public services and international issues. This section encourages debate and reflects The Guardian’s strong editorial voice.

The Technology section includes stories such as the article about Tim Cook and changes at Apple, showing how the website also covers business and digital developments.

7) What different international editions of the Guardian's website are available and what example stories are provided as examples of this?

The The Guardian website has different international editions, including the UK edition, US edition, Australia edition, and Europe edition. These editions allow the newspaper to adapt stories for different audiences while keeping the same overall style and values.

The UK edition example given is the story about Richard Sharp resigning after claims that he helped arrange an £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson. This is a hard news story because it focuses on politics, public institutions and possible conflicts of interest. It reflects The Guardian’s interest in holding powerful institutions accountable.

The US edition example is the story about Ron DeSantis and his past connection to Guantanamo Bay. This story investigates a major American political figure and would appeal to readers because it examines power, politics and human rights.

8) What is the Guardian's funding model? Do you think it is sustainable? 

The Guardian uses a mixed funding model rather than relying on one source of income. It still earns money from selling the printed newspaper, but print sales are becoming less important because fewer people buy physical newspapers and printing costs are high. A much bigger part of its income now comes from digital subscriptions, where readers choose to pay for extra access or support journalism even though the website remains free to read. It also receives money through voluntary reader contributions and patron memberships, which encourage loyal readers to support the paper financially. Advertising remains important as well, especially online, and The Guardian also works with philanthropic organisations such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to fund certain journalism projects.

I think this model is relatively sustainable because it does not depend entirely on advertising, which can be unstable. Having over a million recurring digital supporters means The Guardian has a strong loyal audience willing to pay for its journalism. Digital revenue now makes up most of its income, which shows it has adapted well to changes in the news industry. However, it still faces pressure because keeping news free while producing high quality journalism is expensive, so long term sustainability depends on continuing audience trust and digital growth 

9) What is the Cotton Capital Commission and how does it link to the Guardian's values and ideologies?

The Cotton Capital Commission was a project created by The Guardian to investigate the historical links between the newspaper’s founder and slavery. Research showed that John Edward Taylor had financial connections to the cotton trade, which was closely linked to enslaved labour in the 19th century. As a result, The Guardian publicly acknowledged this history, apologised, and produced a series of articles and features explaining these links.

This connects strongly to The Guardian’s values because the newspaper presents itself as committed to honesty and social justice. By investigating its own past rather than hiding it, The Guardian shows that it applies the same critical approach to itself that it uses when reporting on other institutions. It also reflects its liberal ideology, because it openly addresses historical injustice and inequality. The project fits The Guardian’s wider belief in transparency and public responsibility, showing that journalism should challenge uncomfortable truths even when they involve its own history

10) What audience and industry theories could be applied to the Guardian? How? 

Blumler and Katz’s Uses and Gratifications theory fits well because The Guardian gives audiences information, surveillance and entertainment. Readers use it to stay informed about politics and social issues, but also for lighter content such as features, lifestyle and sport. The opinion section also gives readers a sense of personal identity because audiences often choose writers and viewpoints that match their own beliefs.

Stuart Hall’s Reception theory can also be applied because The Guardian often presents stories with a preferred reading shaped by its centre-left values. For example, political stories about government failures often encourage audiences to question those in power. However, readers can still accept or reject these meanings depending on their own views.

Bourdieu’s cultural capital theory is relevant because reading The Guardian can increase a reader’s knowledge of politics and culture. Its serious tone and global coverage help audiences feel informed and socially aware.

For industry theory, Curran and Seaton are important because The Guardian shows how media can still challenge power through investigative journalism, such as exposing political scandals or examining its own history through the Cotton Capital project. This supports the idea that journalism has an important civic role.

Its ownership structure also links to Curran and Seaton because The Guardian is owned by Scott Trust Limited rather than a single wealthy owner, which helps protect editorial independence and means profit is not the only priority.

Finally, David Hesmondhalgh's  cultural industries theory applies because The Guardian reduces risk by combining traditional journalism with digital subscriptions, advertising, donations and international editions. This allows it to survive economically while keeping its identity consistent across platforms 📚📰

Media Magazine articles

Media Magazine has two excellent features on our newspaper CSPs - a focus on Guardian front pages and a comparison of how the Guardian and Daily Mail cover the same story in different ways. You need to read both articles - MM78 (page 12) and MM87 (page 20) - our Media Magazine archive is here. Answer the following questions:

MM78 - The Guardian

1) What are the Pandora Papers and how does the story fit with the Guardian's ethos, values and ideologies?  

The Pandora Papers were an international investigation that exposed how rich and powerful people used offshore accounts to hide money. The Guardian worked with many other news organisations to publish the leaked documents.

The story fits The Guardian’s ethos because it shows its commitment to investigative journalism and exposing powerful people. The plain front page design and serious tone suggest that this was an important story rather than something made to attract attention. It reflects The Guardian’s liberal values because it focuses on transparency, accountability and questioning inequality.

2) Pick out all the key statistics and quotes from the section on the Guardian's funding model. In particular, the fall in paper readership, the rise in digital readership and the number of contributors  paying to support the journalism. 

Print sales fell to 105,135 copies per day in July 2021, compared with 248,775 copies per day ten years earlier, showing a major decline in paper readership.

Online readership was much larger, with 3.5 million readers per day online and 129 million monthly visits.

The Guardian had financial support from almost 1 million readers:

401,000 digital subscribers

506,000 recurring supporters

508,000 one-off contributors

More than half of these contributions came from readers outside the UK, showing strong international support.

Key quotes:

“We provide our reporting for free, for everyone.”

“We believe in information equality.”

“Investigative journalism is the lifeblood of The Guardian.” - Katharine Viner

3) What does it mean when it says the Guardian frames regular payments from readers as a "philanthropic act". 

The Guardian presents reader payments as more than just buying news. Instead of saying people are paying for access, it suggests they are helping to support free journalism for everyone. Calling it a “philanthropic act” means readers are encouraged to feel they are contributing to something socially valuable - supporting independent journalism and allowing people who cannot pay to still access news. This fits The Guardian’s values because it links payment to public good rather than simple profit.

4) What is the Scott Trust and do you think it is a sustainable model for newspaper ownership in the future? 

The Scott Trust Limited is the trust that owns The Guardian. It was created so that the newspaper could stay independent and protect its liberal values. Instead of profits going to an individual owner or shareholders, all money is put back into the newspaper. This helps protect editorial decisions from commercial pressure and allows journalists to focus on investigative reporting rather than only chasing profit.

The trust follows the ideas of C. P. Scott, who believed that “comment is free, but facts are sacred,” meaning journalism should remain truthful and responsible.

I think it is quite a sustainable model because it gives The Guardian long-term stability and helps build trust with readers, especially when combined with digital subscriptions and reader contributions. However, it still depends on continued audience support, because high-quality journalism remains expensive and print sales continue to fall.

5) Why is the Guardian criticised as hypocritical? Give some specific examples here.

The Guardian is sometimes criticised as hypocritical because it often criticises inequality, capitalism and privilege while also benefiting from wealth and operating successfully within that same system. The newspaper promotes fairness and social equality, but it is supported by very large financial resources through Guardian Media Group, which has a fund of over £1 billion.

A specific criticism is that some of this money came from the sale of Auto Trader, and the company did not pay tax on those sales. It is also criticised because some money was once invested in offshore funds, even though The Guardian later exposed offshore wealth through the Pandora Papers.

Another example is that some well-known Guardian journalists, such as Polly Toynbee and Alan Rusbridger, have supported equality in their writing while sending their own children to private schools. Critics argue this creates a gap between the values the paper promotes and the lifestyles of some of the people who work for it.

However, despite these criticisms, The Guardian is still respected because it regularly exposes corruption and wrongdoing that other newspapers may not investigate.

MM87 - The Daily Mail and the Guardian front page analysis

1) What are the stories featured on the Guardian and Daily Mail on November 10, 2023? 

The Guardian featured two main stories linked to the Israel-Palestine conflict.

One headline focused on ceasefire negotiations, reporting that Benjamin Netanyahu had rejected a ceasefire deal linked to hostage release.

The second major story focused on pressure on Suella Braverman, with criticism over her response to a planned pro-Palestinian march in London and calls for Rishi Sunak to remove her.

These stories reflect The Guardian’s serious political focus and liberal values, because they emphasise humanitarian concerns, protest rights and scrutiny of government power.

On the same day, Daily Mail led with a very different front page.

Its most striking image focused on the murder of Ashling Murphy, using her story very prominently for emotional impact.

It also covered the political conflict around Suella Braverman, but framed it much more defensively with the message “Come for Suella and you come for us all.”

2) How do they reflect the values and ideologies of the two newspapers?

The Guardian reflects liberal values by focusing on protest rights, humanitarian concerns and criticism of those in power. Its stories on Suella Braverman and Benjamin Netanyahu show support for accountability and human rights.

Daily Mail reflects conservative values through emotional headlines and clear support for Braverman. Its use of Ashling Murphy creates strong emotional appeal and fits its more traditional, right-wing style.

3) Why does the writer suggest the front-page images on both papers might be exploitative? Do you agree? 

The writer suggests both front pages may be exploitative because both newspapers use images of young women to create emotional impact and attract attention, even though the political stories are broader than the individuals shown.

In Daily Mail, the image of Ashling Murphy is seen as exploitative because her murder is used very prominently to sell the paper and even promote the newspaper’s podcast, creating strong emotional appeal.

In The Guardian, the criticism is more subtle because the image includes a young female hostage shown on a protest poster, which may still reinforce female victimhood even though the paper presents itself as feminist.

I partly agree because both images clearly attract attention through emotion, but The Guardian’s image can also be read as showing solidarity and protest rather than simple exploitation, so its meaning is less direct than the Daily Mail’s 

4) What else does the writer suggest regarding the Daily Mail's front-page image of murdered teacher Ashling Murphy? 

The writer suggests that Daily Mail uses the image of Ashling Murphy not just to report the story, but to attract readers through emotional appeal. He argues it is especially questionable because the story happened in Ireland, where the Daily Mail is not sold, so its prominence seems designed mainly to exploit interest in a young female victim. The writer also suggests it feeds a voyeuristic focus on female vulnerability, which fits the paper’s dramatic and commercial style.

5) How does the rest of the Guardian's front page (features on Yoko Ono and Todd Haynes) reflect the values and ideologies of Guardian readers?    

The extra features on Yoko Ono and Todd Haynes reflect the values of The Guardian readers because they suggest an audience interested in culture, identity and progressive ideas. Yoko Ono is linked to peace movements, while Todd Haynes is known for work exploring gender and identity, so both choices fit The Guardian’s liberal and socially aware readership. These features suggest readers enjoy cultural content that connects with wider political and social ideas, not just entertainment.

A/A* extension tasks

Look at the Guardian Media Kit in more detail. What do you notice about the Guardian's audience compared to other newspaper brands? What is a 'typical Guardian reader'? 

Take on the tasks at the end of the Guardian factsheet, including the exam question: “Media audiences do not simply consume media content anymore.” Focusing on the newspapers you have studied, to

what extent do you agree with this statement?

You could also read this column from the Conversation website. It's a few years old but covers the ideological differences between the Guardian and Daily Mail very well.