Tabloid papers

[january_bug]

This is NOT an essay question.. I'm interested to hear your views...

Did modern society create the tabloid press... or has the tabloid press created modern society?

[Oneeyedvic]

Tabloid press created modern society - a society that has no clue as to what is really happening in the modern world. I used to think americans were very insular, but am now finding that most British people are too.

Most of what the tabloids print are rubbish.

Maybe we only get what we deserve. If so God help the future generations.

[El D]

Both; logically modern society must have created the tabloid press - however I believe that for the last few years the gutter press has influenced far more people than in previous 'mini-eras' and has actually had, rather depressingly, a strong input into the society we read about in their newspapers! How's that for creating news? Rather ironic that they are one of the prime factors in forming the society they claim to detest.

Of course one cannot overlook the fact that there are a variety of circumstances which enabled them to have this input, and sadly I conclude that society was a willing victim. . .

[Miss Zippy]

If by 'modern society' you mean a society characterised by industrialisation, mass media and communication, an increasing role played by science and technology and the decline of community and religion, then I wouldn't say the tabloid press created any of this.  The media has probably �filled in gaps� that exist in our modern society.  For instance, these days we seem to be obsessed with celebrity; perhaps people need someone to look up to because they do not have role models in their own lives (whether it be parents, extended family, teachers or even religion). Also I think the �grief culture� created by the media, which was probably first  witnessed following Princess Diana�s death, is another way of �filling a gap� and making people who feel in some way detached and alone to feel part of something and feel close to others by sharing an experience. The tabloid press panders to those who are ill-informed (not necessarily uneducated) and, as a result paranoid, and seems to tell them what they want to hear; that the world is a bad place and on every street there lives a paedophile, terrorist, illegal immigrant or benefit fraudster. Some people are just never happy unless they have something to moan about or something or someone to blame their problems on and the tabloid press satisfies this need in some people!

[Oneeyedvic]

january_bug - try reading Private Eye - they have a section on the tabloids which you will love!

[stevie21]

I agree it's both. Newspapers and magazines are always pushing the cracking image of women as svelte, lithe gorgeous and with perfect skin (thank you tabloids and magazines!!) but are just as quick to moan that the poor soul in their featured article felt pressure to be skinny and perfect.

Tabloids are really obviously known for fabricating stories and sensationalising everything possible but people still lap it up and believe it. It takes effort to see past their kak and get something that resembles a fact.

[jno]

Someone pointed out to me about 10 years ago that the editors of the two downmarket UK tabloids, the Sun and Mirror, were both public schoolboys. Trahison des clercs.

[dothawkes]

I think Robin Hood created the tabloid press, a broardsheet was too big to nail to even the biggest tree in the forest, so they made a smaller version .  Only my thoughts by the way, not based on any historically accurate facts.

[january_bug]

Thanks for all the answers, (except one of course, but not the Robin Hood one... I like the logic there!!!). 

Of course I didn't mean 'modern society' as in having electricity etc.  I'd have thought it was clear what I meant. 

I agree it's been somewhat self perpetuating and I'm inclined to agree that we (society) get what we deserve. 

The public school boy reminds me... Piers Morgan hardly has working class roots does he?!  Do you think they might just be having a bit of a laugh, stirring up the working classes, adhering to the letter but not the spirit of the law, and making a fortune getting rich feeding off the insecurities of those who are "poor" relative to them?

[mycatis]

Sorry Bug, I dont have an answer but wanted to say, Cool question!  I start my politics higher next week, dont suppose you have any idea what it's like? (I always assumed that you would have done one, if not sorry)

[metagirl]

the ideals behind capitalism and liberal secular rationale brought us the tabloid press. and because people are impressionable, the tabloid press continues to influence society.

[january_bug]

Hey, well I'm not sure if this will even appear, as my last attempts at a post aren't appearing on the site!  But here goes... mycatis... are you "only" 17/18!?!  Surely not!!!  I did politics A Level, and scraped a B.  I have no idea if the higher you would do now, would be the same as the A level I did back in 1999-2001.  The syllabus could be very different.  However, mine was technically "Politics and Ideology" and was split into two halves... one half looking at the workings of politics in the UK (including back then, looking at the infant days of the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly), and the other half looking at the "isms".  I found it all fascinating but hard work.. as the grade probably reflects! :-)

Good luck anyway, and I'm glad you liked my question.  :-)

Thanks for all the continued interesting answers folks! :-)

[january_bug]

By the way, my earlier answer today, just to clarify, meant that I did also like the Robin Hood answer.  I just found one answer in the thread unhelpful, pointless and unecessarily profane.  Needless to say, it wasn't the Robin Hood one! :-)

[mycatis]

Ah bless your cotton socks Bug :) No sadly I'm not 17 (I wish) I'm 28 and going to college to get my highers, left school at 15 and had my son by 18 so reckon it's time. Thanks for your reply x x

[january_bug]

Now it makes sense! I thought I'd remembered that you'd got a son, that you'd had him when you were under 20, but that he was more than 3 or 4 years old now.  Goodness you had me confused!  Well good for you I say!  And good luck!  Oh - and I'm glad you've chosen at least one nice meaty subject! :-)

[mycatis]

Thanks Bug, I'm also doing english and psychology, really looking forward to it :)
(and my son is now 9 eek lol )

[LordyGeordie]

while the tabloid press is often vilified by the middle classes it provides an extremely important job in society. you'll find that tabloid reporters are the most well informed, smartest and most talented journalists.

They need to convey the detials of a story into a very short space and still keep the readers attention. speaking as someone who knows that's no mean feat.

a good tabloid knows how to cater for its market. your average trucker or brickie doesn't want to read a Guardian-style article on the benefits of organic gardening.

most people think tabloids are all about t!ts and celebrities. those sort of comments tend to come from people who never read them. look at their coverage of the recent events in New Orleans, it as good if not better than the so-called 'quality newspapers'. ok so there's a bit of smut in there as well. but who doesn't like a bit of that.

you'll find that in high political circles it's the tabloids who break the best stories. the Sun knew the date of the last election before most of the cabinet. politicians know the power of the tabloid press.

what it does is keep your average working man and woman well informed, but also entertained. america doesn't have a decent tabloid press, The American press goes from high-brow broadsheets like the Washington Post to supermarket magazines like the National Enquirer with nothing in between. leaving behind it a nation, the majority of whom know very little of what's going on outside its borders

[january_bug]

LordyGeordie - you make a good point.  To be honest, I mean (but admittedly I failed to specify this) the sensationalist attitude of the press.  I agree that the tabloids do a good job, and keeping people informed is a necessary role - someone needs to do it.  I read loads of different papers, a broadsheet at home, a Metro on the way to work (least I used to) and tabloids at work.  The difference I have noted, that I was referring to here, is the constant fear factor, and blame culture incited by the tabloids.  Constantly telling us what to worry about and making life sound worse than it is.  We're not ALL going to die of MRSA and not ALL schools are failing the country's children etc, but sometimes the tabloids really sound like they think that's what the future holds. 

I know that many tabloid readers are more than capable of cutting through that cr.a.p and understand the slants, but if you read it day in and day out, a bit of it seaps through into the mind, and I worry about the effects. 

My key example is ASBOs.  The media attention they have received has apparently made them something of a trophy with certain groups in some areas.  Perhaps a different method/style of reporting could have avoided this attitude. 

I just personally wish that the press would be a bit calmer in how they do their reporting. 

[Oneeyedvic]

LordGeordie - "you'll find that tabloid reporters are the most well informed, smartest and most talented journalists."

29th July 2005 - Cameron Diaz libel case: the newspaper (the Sun) admitted in a statement: "Any suggestion of a romantic involvement is entirely untrue and without any substance whatsoever.".

August 4th 2004 very similar case with Phil Neville.

Remember the case of Dawn Reed & Mark Lillie (cleared of molesting children) - The Sun said "HELP US FIND THESE FIENDS  -  Do you know where perverts Lillie and Reed are now call....."

How about the Hillsborough disaster headline ironically titled "The Truth"

My particular favourite - 3 down one to go regarding the innocent Brazilian recently

The report & photo of Australian paedophile Robert Excell which led to the murder of Newton thompson.

 

The Sun (the countries biggest selling nespaper) is outrageous in its content and is (imho) totally out of control. It parades lies upon lies which people believe as the truth (after all there is no smoke without fire) and screams headlines in 4 inch high letters and apologies in small type.

Sadly though, the majority of this country seem to want to beleive it is right in the way it continues.

[Oneeyedvic]

LordyGeordie - in fact, I'm getting more and more wound up by your previous post - "what it does is keep your average working man and woman well informed, but also entertained. "

So, which of the tabloid press informs its readers how the Euro will effect them? Whcih of the tabloids explains how the EC works? which of the tabloids explains our justice system (and how a misleading story can ruin a trial). Which of the tabloids talk about fatcat wages but are run by the very same type of people?

I can understand people who haven't got a good education reading the tabloids and believing that what is printed is true. Personally, I don't like it, but if someone doesn't want to educate themselves then it is their choice.

However, I do take great offense at someone who is (obviously from their post) literate and intelligent actually believeing that the tabloids are good for this country.