The Newspapers Coverage of Jeremy Forrest

School teacher Jeremy Forrest who eloped to
France with 15-year old Megan Stammers

The Sun and The Independent have written stories about Jeremy Forrest, the school teacher that eloped to France with 15-year old school girl Megan Stammers, and his return to Britain after being arrested  following an European Arrest Warrant. This story appeared in both newspapers on Thursday, 11^th October 2012.

The Sun has a small section consisting of two short paragraphs on the front page next to the headline story of Jimmy Savile. As this too was a follow-on story it was still in the public domain and therefore at the forefront in the minds of the public. The story itself takes up the majority of page 7 and just after the Jimmy Savile story on page 4 and 5. The story has been placed here so the disgust and anger that has been created by the Jimmy Savile scandal can be continued and directed towards Jeremy Forrest.

15-year old school girl, Megan Stammers

The Sun has used several techniques to relate their readers to Forrest. They have done this by mentioning Forrest was “on his budget flight” and also that he “drank Pepsi”. As many of the majority of The Sun readership are working class, their holiday destinations consist of budget holidays, so the budget flight and drinking Pepsi, are what would seem normal. By making their readers relate to Forrest it gives them an interest in the story. The Sun then used negative terminology in attempts to tell their reader how to think towards Forrest. They describe him as a “fugitive” and “the runaway that fled”.

Jeremy Forrest and Megan Stammers are
filmed by CCTV on a ferry

The Independent reports this story on page 21 under their crime section. The article itself is a small piece of written text contained within an image. The Independent has gone with the headline “Runaway teacher charged with child abduction”. Despite their headline they leave their readers to make their own conclusions by writing: “arrested in France on suspicion of abducting.” The Independent have reported the facts and giving information in a clear and concise way as if, for their readers, are no longer interested or have no relation to the story.

They have decided to use wide-shot of Forrest boarding the aircraft. This is so that The Independent can disassociate themselves and their readers from having any emotional involvement in the story. By using this image it gives the readers enough visual information that is backed up with the headline they have used.

The Sun has used close-ups of Forrest at the back of the plane and in one instance in the middle of the image being flanked by two police officers in civilian clothing. This maybe to imply that he is a dangerous person. The Sun has also used an image of Megan Stammers. This is used for the ‘male gaze’ as the readership is predominantly male and would make the reader stop and read the article.




Jeremy Forrest boarding a plane on his way back to Britain