Summary of local newspaper analysis

The analysis of three local newspapers, The Wisbech Standard, Cambs Times and Peterborough Telegraph has given me an insight about their layout, colour, images used and font.

Layout is very similar across all three of local newspapers, they all have one main image centred on the page with articles at the bottom and the side. The route of the eye is also similar it follows the “Z” route. The reader looks at the Masthead first then the main image and finally the text below. The placing of the advertising is

also similar, it tends to be located towards the top and bottom of the page in a kind of banner.

Font style does differ between the newspapers, not a lot but it is noticeable especially in the masthead and subheading .The Cambs Times has font quite similar to that of a national newspaper. The font style and size for the masthead and text are nearly identical. Between the newspapers font style for the articles is similar. The fonts used are all simple and easy to read hence why all three local newspapers use identical font styles and size.

Two out of the three local newspapers use bright and vibrant colours. The Cambs Times has typical black and white colour scheme. The vibrant colours in the Wisbech Standard and the Peterborough Telegraph are most likely to attract younger readers as well as older. The colours make the newspapers more appealing, it encourages people to read the articles and stories on the page. The fact that the Cambs Times uses very little colour creates a bland appeal to the reader compared to the other two newspapers.

Images are placed all over the front pages of the local newspapers. The main photo stands out effectively on the page. Its one of the first thing the reader looks at, it catches their attention well. In a way similar to the colour it forces the reader to look at what’s on the rest of the page, whether it is the advertising or the text. Without the use of images the reader would lose interest very quickly and may not read the stories or articles on the page.