The Agenda and Nature of Stirling Observer Essay Example

focuses on understanding, rather than predicting or controlling, phenomena."1 As while "Quantitative research is an effective means of substantiating the insights and hypotheses of a qualitative study."2 Methods we used are: content analysis, interview, questionnaire and data collection.

The research process is that we took two-months-sample of this bi-weekly regional paper for content analysis to have a quantitative and qualitative impression of this newspaper. Bring our questions from what we read from analysis into editor's office to have a depth interview. Leave questionnaire to his colleagues and collect other data to prove or verify the answers what we got.2.

1 Content Analysis"Content Analysis is a technique for gathering and analyzing the content of text... It can be done quantitatively as well as qualitatively, and computer programs can be used to assist the researcher.

"317 newspapers were taken from the period of August 4 to September 29 as samples for the reason of that the time limit of our research and hands limited. There are 896 pages for us to count.The content of cover page stories as an important code to be recorded, so everybody of our group write down the titles of cover stories and put it into catalogues as while they have to examine those stories. In the meantime, the advertisements were set into four genres: small, half page, full page, and multi-pages. The stories and photos and content catalogues are what we concern about and make counts.The problem of "finding a measurable unit, some standard way of analysing our material" (Berger, 1998: 25) is what we tackled during our research.

For the reason of our international group members understand standard varied, we have to count the

numbers again as we have finished our interview with the deputy editor of newspaper.2.2 In-depth InterviewAn in-depth interview is a qualitative research technique that allows person to person discussion. It can lead to highlight or reveal the real meaning or attention on important issues. The in-depth interview uses a flexible interview approach. It aims to ask questions to explain the reasons underlying a problem or practice in target people.

This technique were used to gather ideas and to develop materials for the policy maker's thinking of newspaper. Unfortunately, the editor in chief is in abroad for holiday but we interviewed the deputy editor, a local person with his whole career in this newspaper.We made a draft questions concerned with the aims of the newspaper, its market strategies, the management structure and what the editor's evaluation, etc, for preparing of the interview. We found that there are some exaggerate or intending to no answer during our interview.

That is main shortcoming of this technique. The interviewee escapes your questions.2.3 QuestionnaireQuestionnaire-based surveys are one of the most common tools used by media researchers to establish either audience nor editors or broadcasters preferences.

() We design a questionnaire to research what the opinion of the staffs in the editor room and advertising team. With 15 out, 12 back. The return rate is 80%.It is very important to design a questionnaire. For the reason of this questionnaire design, we collect and survey not too much useful information for our further study.

2.4 Data CollectionPeople's fascination with 'facts' is persistent and universal. That is why we need to collect factual data for our research.When we were in the editor's room, we

request to some materials of this newspaper, but unfortunately, the editor did not find them. As we are requiring some data of advertising or finance report, the editor refused circumbendibus.By the searching of internet, we find a good resource for local newspaper statistics: JICREG (Joint Industry Committee for Regional Press Research) website.

JICREG has become the main currency used by the UK advertisers, agencies, regional press publishers and their sales houses. With factual data of circulation and other facts, we can read the newspaper thoroughly.3. FindingsThrough different research methods, we can get some findings to reveal the real agenda and find out the nature of Stirling Observer.3.1 Aim for profitNot as we imagined, the local newspaper should run in low profit, or just live for survive, this newspaper has been doing quite well on its financial side.

As the amount showing in the Chart 1, there are 613 pages (calculated by the size) advertisements in this newspaper in two months as while there are only 896 pages in total. The percentage of advertisement in space is 68.4%.In Chart 2, there are 1194 'stories' and about 739 photographs. During interview the Deputy Editor told us that the reason behind such a high number of photographs is a marketing strategy.

Coloured photographs of recently married couples, of new born babies, of students who have graduated actually pushed the sale of the newspapers as people tend to buy more copies either to circulate among friends or relatives or for the memory gift.Both of them show the strategy and publish idea on circulation and advertising of this newspaper.In the interview, Mr. Donald Morton, the Deputy Editor of Stirling Observer,

introduced that the target audience is the people who would like to read the local news around them, the people who try to buy or sell something through the newspaper, and the people who look for a job and the people who enjoy the sports news.

Actually, he added that this newspaper is catering for those people who are willing to pay 60 pence to buy. It is a typical "consumer sovereign". The newspaper is trying to make profit from the local inhabitants, both in paper selling and advertising selling.3.2 Nature of Stirling ObserverIn 1999, the Stirling Observer changed into tabloid with its hundred years' look of broadsheet. As our questionnaire reveals that the tabloid format is supported by the editors.

With success of circulation increase, the new format strategy is also success in market.According to Joint Industry Committee for Regional Press Research, the circulation of Stirling Observer in Stirling area in August of this year was: on Wednesday: 10,512 copies, Friday: 2,041 copies. The Readership Per Copy is varied, Friday is 3.5 but Wednesday is 3. Mr Morton pointed out one factor that Friday paper was considered smaller than Wednesday paper was that the Friday paper catering those people who live in the countryside and small villages.

As the Table 1 above shows, that the newspaper is well done in the concept of local public sphere comprising the "totality of communication and information processes in the local setting"(Hollander, 1988: 25). While the questionnaire result shows that 40% staffs consider there is no need to improve the quality of Stirling Observer. 60% employees hold the opinion that it is necessary to improve the quality of it

by involving more local issues, better photographs and imaginative editorials.ConclusionAs our research reveals, the real agenda of Stirling Observer is to pursue money with local catering. In the mean while, it is success in such marketing because the newspaper posses two core competitive forces: history, newsroom strategies, the superior delivery of local news. Regard to history, Stirling Observer was the only press issued locally from their time of establishment to their time of growth and still remain to be so.

To newsroom strategies, the quality and quantity of the local news they cover and deliver are also unbeatable by any other media in Central Scotland area.Though there are short of investigation, short of research methods, the result is still practical and significant. Hopingly, there is more in-depth research on this newspaper, because as we are researching, find it is out of academic scope for local newspaper in the UK.