Newspapers are read by nearly everyone, are highly influential and make millions of pounds each year. It is one of the most trusted and responsible mediums of all which is read by the majority of all adults. Over all there is 1200 regional and local papers and 1600 associated websites in the UK. The local press is the uks most popular print medium, read by 33million a week and 42million unique users rely on a local newspaper website each month. More than 6100 local newspapers are sold and disributed in the uk every minute. Local newspapers are the first media that over half of people would go to to raise awareness of a local issue or problem. The local media employs over 30,000 people including 10,000 journalists, which is more than the bbc employ. 85% of local newspaper readers in Britain say it's important that their local paper keeps them informed about local council issues. Over 60% of people act on advertisements in local newspapers. Newspapers (30%) and TV advertising (56%) have more impact upon consumers than magazines (17%) and radio (15%) and outdoor (15%). The paper covers all social classes in high mainly because profiles of regional and local news paper readers reflect profiles of areas they cover. 71% of all British adults read a regional newspaper, yet only 47% read a national newspaper. The regional press has a very high solus readership, and 26.7% of those who read a regional newspaper do not read a national daily. Media moves from global to local and local newspapers journalists tend to live close to the areas they write about. The top 20 publishers own approximately 90% of all regional and local newspaper titles in the uk and 95% of all the total weekly newspaper circulation. They have new ways of attracting audiences such as using websites, podcasts, mobile phone apps, e-editions allow access to news and entertainment on the move.


Nearly 100% of the industry now has an online presence. They also use blogs as a way for the reader to be directly involved with the newspaper. They also use video streaming to provide information. There is a symbiotic relationship between newspapers and audiences. The Shropshire Star is owned by Midlands News association, and is ninth on the league table. In 1964, the Shropshire was the first newspaper to be published after world war 2. It used new printing techniques instead of hot metal printing that had been used by all papers previously, and as The Shropshire Star was using it's new technique of web ofset printing and photocompoisition, fleet street was still using hot metal printing. The techniques that The Shropshire Star developed is still used today. The first copy was an offshoot of the West Midlands Express and Star but The Shropshire Star became independant quickly. Nightly circulation of 19000 was a huge sales growth. By the mid 80s, is was pushing 100,000 mark, spread from 2 editions, to 8. It was also the first paper to use a colour picture in it's paper on the 30th January with a picture of Winston Churchill on the day of his funeral. Then in March 1967, it was the first paper to publish a colour photograph on the same day as the picture was taken when the queen visited Shropshire. In the 1980s, the Shropshire Star and it's wolverhampton sister paper were at the front of another newspaper revolution, which was the computer revolution. Together they moved from old fashioned 'double keying' to single keying, which cut out entire production process and effectively turned journalists into printers, this began the age of hi-tech computerised newspapers.

The Shropshire Star was one of the very first to go online in 1998 with shropshire-online.com and in 1999, the newspaper got its first internet editor and renamed it to shropshirestar.com. More of the shropshire stars papers get into homes of the potential readership than for any other regional paper. 172,000 adult readers read The Shropshire Star each night which is the highest penetration rate in British regional press. Over 82% of all Shropshire Star published being home delivered. 57% of Shropshire Star readers don't read any other daily papers other than that. On average, readers spend 33 minutes a day reading their paper. The paper also supports local events and gets involved in the community, not just reports about them. In the past they have sponsored people, suported charities and worked with schools, this makes the paper seem more friendly and approachable. It employs around 400 people and has offices around the country. Most people live in the area that they write about making it more trusted. It owns 2 radio stations: The Wyre and The Severn. There is a high proportion of local news and a high level of meaningfullness in that news with enough national and international news to keep a high solus readership. The editionising keeps even more local focus. There used to be 8 editions of the paper, and now there is only 3: the county edition, boarder edition and south edition.

The feeling of independance is promoted in the newspaper and makes a big deal of how its pro-community rather than pro any particular political party. It is  good value paper and has 56-72 pages which contain 9 stories on the front page, 17 stories per inside page and 33 minutes spent reading it. It has a varied content which ensures a wide spread audience. There is the option of having the paper delivered for £2.10 a week for 6 editions which can be delivered to anywhere even outlying rural areas as there is a network of paper boys/girls and delivery vans.

The papers mode of address is friendly and direct using phrases such as 'your star' 'call us' 'try your luck' 'we're happy to help' as well as the use of syntax, short sentences, yet still quite copy heavy and detailed at times. Puns and alliteration is used. There are supplements for different sections of audience eg. women, cars, home, jobs, business, weekend, wedding, schools and special events. The voice of the reader is heard as local letters, classified articles and announcements are used. A high proportion of stories come from readership, unlike other news provies eg. coffee mornings, flower group holds meeting. Comunity is represented positively whether rural village life or bigger towns like Shrewsbury and Telford. This promotes a good self image and encourages sales as they are seen as being caring and charitable. They promote pleasant environment and are pro animal. There is also child centred stories and nostalgic photos sent in by readers. They promote lively social lives and include festivals, films, concerts and coffee mornings. There is also community announcements like opening times and competitions and offers. There is also a wide range of methods you can read the shropshire star in, such as the print, online app and smart phone versions.