What criticisms could you make of the tabloid press? How would you defend them?

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Cameron Kirton

Media studies

“What criticisms could you make of the tabloid press? How would you defend them?

Newspapers in Britain do not exist to report the news, to act as watchdogs for the public or any other of the noble things we ascribe to the newspaper industry. They are first and foremost businesses. They exist to make money. One particular genre of the British press has over several decades been able to create great profits from the newspaper industry. The tabloid newspaper; together they account for approximately 60 percent of the readers of newspapers in the U.K. However, they only make up 35 percent of the total number of daily titles in circulation within Britain.

        The oxford English dictionary describes a tabloid as: “a newspaper of small format giving the news in condensed form, usually with illustrated, often sensational material”

        Tabloid newspapers offer an alternative to the comprehensive, in-depth, analytical reporting of the broadsheet papers. Although tabloids are often referred to as the popular press they are frequently criticised by different quarters as being intrusive, sensationalised, bias, prejudiced, dumbed down and immoral.

        When I refer to the tabloid press, I’m referring primarily to the three popular (red top) papers; “The Sun”; “The Mirror”; and the “Daily Star”. Also the two mid-market papers; the “Daily Mail”; and “The Express”.

        Throughout the 1980’s, the Princess of Wales had been a tabloid editors dream. From the day of her “fairytale” wedding, to the day of her tragic death and beyond she supplied the press with chances to build up her persona, whilst at the same time the ammunition they needed to shoot her down. Due to the perceived excess of the tabloid press in reporting the royals and particularly Diana, the government instituted the "Calcutt Review" of the newspaper industry. Which in turn led to the formation of the “Press Complaints Commission” and it’s “Code of Practice”. As regards privacy, the code states:

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“Intrusions and enquiries into an individuals private life without his or her consent including the use of long lens photography to take pictures of people on private property without their consent are not generally acceptable and publication can only be justified when in the public interest”

        

The tabloids failed to cease in their tactics when covering Diana, justifying their intrusions on the grounds of public interest, because of her special status as mother to the future king.

        Since Diana’s death the Press Complaints Commission has tightened its Code of Practice, banning papers from buying and publishing photographs taken by ...

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