IMPACT OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND ITS PLACEMENT IN NEWS ARTICLES ON READERS.

IMPACT OF PHOTOGRAPHS AND ITS PLACEMENT IN NEWS ARTICLES ON READERS.

The research is carried out to study the impact of photographs and its placement on readers in newspapers. The photographs and headline are the heavyweights, more than any other element they attract attention. This study tries to focus on the role of photographs in newspaper articles on its readers. It evaluates on the terms of its placement as well. Photographs in newspapers are researched through semiotics analysis, content analysis and other qualitative techniques. This study is undertaken in both qualitative and quantitative techniques. The researcher has used the random sampling technique with a sample size of 108. The analysis is also made on the basis of in-depth interview with experienced and seasoned members of print organisations. Based on the analysis of the data collected the research has thrown light upon the findings that, before even scanning pages in detail, the first element seen by a reader is the photographs. Both the genders have equally shown that the photographs are the first component that attracts them to read an article. A well placed photograph plays an important role by breaking the monotony of text placement and leads to visual appeal of the reader. In conclusion the photographs have high visual impact on readers. Its placement and size play a vital role in not only leading the readers to read the article but also creates an aesthetically designed layout.

V Pushkar

Media Studies