caenanalysis

In light of the recent tragedy, occuring less than a mile from my parents' house, I thought it fitting to report on the Croydon tram crash. Leaving more than 50 people injured, and killing seven people (including Dane Chinnery, who many of my friends knew and loved as a brother) this has shaken me to the core, especially as if the accident had happened an hour later I could very well have been on the tram as it derailed.

This article from the Telegraph features both factual information about the crash, and pays tribute with a respectful mention to the seven victims. Originally, all articles regarding the incident focused around the tragedy of those injured or killed, though now that the grief and shock of the public seems to have subsided slightly the news have now fixed themselves around stories detailing why and how the crash happened. By using figures and statistics in this article (such as the fact that the tram was travelling 43.5mph over a curve with a maximum speed of 12.5mph) it allows the public to both create a more detailed picture in their heads of how the accident came to be, and speculate about the possible causes of the incident. At present, this article reports that the driver, Alfred Dorris, was arrested on suspicion of manslaughter and has now been bailed until May.

Usually articles regarding events such as this one use emotive language, as demonstrated in this article from the Daily Mail - as early into the article as the introduction, shocking phrases such as 'covered in blood' and describing the scene as 'something out of a movie' both draw readers in and attempt to evoke an emotion (in this case, a reaction of sympathy and shock). In contrast, the article from the Telegraph focuses solely on the facts behind the event, which draws in a smaller pool of readers (the Mail article appeals to everyone around the Croydon area due to a tragic accident having taken place, while fewer people are interested in the statistics and details behind the event).