The two newspapers we have chosen to compare are the USA Today and the International Herald Tribune. They are dating from Friday, May 29, 2009.
First impression
What strikes out is that the front page of the USA Today is more exuberant than the International Herald Tribune. The page counts six small pictures and three clarifying graphics. The font of the headlines are more bulky, different and short in its titles. Comparing this to the International Herald Tribune, the IHT only counts three pictures on its front page and the fonts are smaller and the types are not differing much. The titles of the headlines are longer. So on the first sight, the International Herald Tribune has a greater proportion of text on the front page. The use of language of the USA Today is more subjective than the IHT. They play on the reader’s emotions by using sentences beginning with ‘you’ and questioning headlines.
( For example: …‘Get arrested in Springfield, Ore, this fall, and you might spend the night in jail – then get a bill for your stay’…
And: ‘Are students safe abroad?’
The International Herald Tribune is more objective in its language and so holds more distance to its reader. It provides factual headlines.
( For example: ‘Nuclear power renaissance stalls in Finland’ And: ‘Lacroix falls victim to the downturn’
Both papers carry out several articles on the front page, this is an aspect quality newspapers have. Most of the subjects cover international politics and economy. Especially the USA today pays attention to finances. All three main articles are about economics. On the other hand the International Herald Tribune has four main articles on its front page and all of them are about politics. So a main difference is that the USAT is aiming at the national economics and its statistics and the IHT is aiming at international politics in which the economy plays a smaller role. The paper that appeals us the most is