Tabloids with their tendency to emphasize a sensational approach to the issues; to project a common, simplified and highly anthropocentric worldview; to construct communicative scenarios based on division we–they and social myths nowadays more and more often raise issues connected with ecology. However, the manner of their presentation differs entirely from the communicative standards required in ecological (environmental) discourse. The aim of this paper is to present the communication collision which arises as a result of the clash of the common, and the environmental projection of the reality, and its consequences to the identity of environmental discourse, as well as the influence on the formation of a common ecological awareness. This research was based on the Critical Discourse Analysis methodology with reference to the critical trend of ecolinguistics and used analyzed material from 2008 and 2009 editions of the tabloid “Fakt.”
In the author’s opinion, tabloidization is not an invention of mass culture. Fascination with bloody and sensational stories is a rudimentary need of excitement, which was fulfilled by the available means existing in a given culture. Such stories have always been around in folklore and they were frequently used by medieval chroniclers. Apocrypha were also an answer to the need of curiosity. Incredible and tragic stories dominated social conversation, old-Polish short-story writing and predicatory exempla. An inn was the place where for centuries the “need of sensational” was fulfilled by travelling beggars’ doggerel full of exciting news. At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, travelling beggars used leaflets with printed texts, which became the origins of the press. Those irregular prints related important and sensational events: those from the royal court and the neighbourhood, crimes, rapes or strange phenomena in the sky. The stories migrated from oral to printed form and the other way round. Folklore research explains this mechanism and reasons for the popularity of sensational stories, which became the source of tabloidization of contemporary media. The phenomenon objectively exists in contemporary culture an requires an objective description and not a deprecatory assessment. The need for tabloidization — understood as the phenomenon of equalization or the principle of common denominator — is currently evoked by both economic conditions and expectations of the receivers.
The subject of this paper is an analysis of Internet tabloids ― popular celebrity news websites and also an attempt at classification of this genre. Basing on this description we want to reveal typical tabloid elements in this kind of websites and show how they affect linguistic contents. Celebrity news websites create tabloid, simplified reality, based on good-bad dichotomy. Information is treated as a product, passed on in packed-up form. Sensational and emotional contents of these news together with the possibility of reacting to them play general role in language form of this kinds of texts. Colloquial vocabulary, unambiguous headlines, conventional metaphors and numerous subjective epithets are being used not only to intensify expression, but above all also to minimize the distance between the author and potential reader.
The paper discusses the dual nature of tabloidization, conceived not as a mere imitation of tabloids but as a process which consists in adjustment to the expectations of the reader, a process in which the crucial value is that of good reception and effectiveness (profitability) as its measurable effect. Thus, tabloidization does not only concern tabloids as such but is present in the transformations of the media as a whole, the transformations being an aspect of a larger process of the transformation of contemporary culture. Secondly, there are two dimensions of tabloidization: tabloidization of content (i.e. the selection of certain themes and topics only because they are interesting to the general public) and tabloidization of transfer (a change in the format of the newspapers and magazines, the increased importance of non-verbal coding, a higher frequency of occurrence of specific linguistic means). As an example, the paper analyzes a series of articles from a non-tabloid daily “Gazeta Wyborcza”, titled Brat Karol. Siostra Wanda, which appeared in June 2009 (as well as an introductory advertisement and an introductory article). Th e analysis reveals the process of tabloidization of transfer (more exactly of language), but also the tabloidization of content. The tabloidization of language is manifested through the use of linguistic means such that they result in an augmentation and increased directness of the reading, as well as in an easier reception of the text. Tabloidization is also manifested through an apparent flouting of conversational maxims and a loose treatment of the principle of cooperation, which leads to the creation of a communicative message containing a simplified and biased worldview. Being familiar and easily understandable, the worldview is attractive to the reader. In this way, reality is mythologized. The reader receives a text which does not only relate to the difficult relationship between Karol Wojtyła (as bishop and pope) and Wanda Półtawska. The text is also about a relationship between a man and a woman. The attractiveness of the publication does not result from it being yet another text about John Paul II, a national hero, but from the new roles assigned to the protagonists (Wanda’s role is that of a woman, Karol’s is that of a man). The acceptance of the roles leads to a direct and intense reception of the message, as well as to the emergence of author–reader kind of community. In effect, the text is an instance of the tabloidization of content, where the content is not provided in a straightforward manner but through tabloidization of transfer.
Czech newspaper editors feel a strong inner professional conflict concerning following professional dilemma: to be a moral agent focused on serious problems of society or a craftsman who has generally given up on higher standards of journalistic work and tries to conform to popular standard of general audience. The presented paper is based upon the research project - 'Czech newspaper editors' which was undertaken between June-August 2007. The main objective of this study was to show how Czech newspaper editors changed their editorial strategy after the collapse of the former media system in the 1990s and to what extent they have adapted to the pressure of economic rationalization and the commercialization of the media sector. The second objective was to describe criteria that editors instinctively use to evaluate what readers want to consume.
Lexeme tabloid is one of the most recent borrowings in Polish language. It provided the basis for a noun “tabloidization” which means “interpretation of phenomena, which aims to search for their sensational content displaying it without a profound understanding of the nature of the reported facts.” At the same time it is important here to appeal to emotions. Modern culture is like a tabloid. Language which makes it possible to build complex linguistic structures and which is the most essential tool for thinking tends to become more and more colloquial. It should be mentioned that the emotional factor plays a more and more important role in the language.
The article presents the role of marketing communication, especially the Y&Rchetypes theory, in tabloidization of culture, politics and other forms, in the past few years. In the press material we can observe language forms and communication functions of the update of three archetypes referring to the need of LOVE and COMMUNITY — a lover, an average guy and a fool — in modern political communication. At the same time it is shown how the marketing patterns, proposed by American company Yung&Rubicam at the beginning of the 1990s, evolve not only in politics but also in tabloidized media. In the article there is also an attempt to answer the question on how Polish society assimilates these patterns, how much they approve or process them.
Our analyses are an attempt to look at certain axiological aspects of the contemporary tabloid media. It is an attempt that is survey-like and narrow in scope, whose purpose is to catch sight of certain phenomena which are characteristic of the quality of the contemporary media culture. One of the significant phenomena is tabloidization, which refers to both classic and well-described tabloids and all other media, called tabloidal, which yield to the pressure of tabloidization. Consequently, classic press tabloids which are examined thoroughly and at the interdisciplinary basis are not the only point of reference; reference is also made here to the functioning of new electronic media, where the tabloidization phenomenon is more difficult to grasp and less explored. Working within the field of the philosophy and axiology of the media, we make an attempt to provide an answer to how the world of values and sense reveals itself in the tabloid and tabloidal media; and, conversely, how contemporary culture and media tendencies, the mentality of the media civilization influence and shape the message of the tabloids. In our analyses reference is made both to theoretical media analyses and to rich empirical knowledge of the field. Our immediate objective is not evaluation of the tabloidization process and its consequences in ethical categories. We endeavor to throw some light upon them from a rationalist perspective, leaving aside any ethical evaluation of the phenomena to individualistic responsibility of all participants of the contemporary mediosphere.
In my article I show how phrases “tabloid” and “tabloidization” are defined by Polish students and clerks. In surveyed groups’ definitions we can see their unambigiously negative judging. They emphasized such aspects of tabloids as: telling not true and not important stories, fascination with celebrities, creating scandals, big photos and headlines, simplicity of language and characteristic group of readers: uneducated and common people. Paradoxically, this type of defining is close to a model of world created by tabloids: based on division “we–they”, unambiguous judging, simplifying and stereotypization.
The paper analyses the question of tabloidization in relation to the radio broadcast. It indicates some typical phenomena of that process which occur in radio, and on the other hand it stresses its certain properties, which allow radio to avoid some of the aspects which are typical for tabloid media. The author considers some essential features of radio communication due to which it may become, though not entirely free from the negative influence of infotainmet, but still a medium more “noble” and more audience-friendly than television or internet. Apparent weakness of radio — the lack of picture — in this case may become a powerful antidote against ‘dumbing down’ of the tabloid-style visual culture. Radio has a great potential in performing integrational, indexing and informing functions, which added to proper broadcasting offer (or format) may result in a station which is both frequently listened to and non-tenuous, non-tabloid.
It has been 20 years since Poland entered the group of democratic countries. The 1989 breakthrough forced the changes not only in political but also in media system. Foreign capital appeared on Polish market and West European trends followed. From two decades’ perspective not all of these effects were positive. One of the most disputable trends is media tabloidization. Nowadays it is hard to imagine press market without tabloids, which topped the selling lists. Changes which are taking part in traditional media are also the result of electronic media influence. Is this intersection fruitful for both sectors? The author of the article tries to create a preliminary balance of profits and losses as an effect of tabloids presence on Polish market.
The article contains a thesis that research on tabloids and tabloidization is, in its very nature, tinged with ideology, as its subject is a uniquely created axiological construct with its place in culture being negatively prejudged. The article will present broadcaster actions from an interactionism perspective, mainly the theory of framing. Taking the original meaning of the word “tabloid” as a starting point, the article discusses four aspects, or rather “levels,” of tabloidization: the concentration of the message content and its intensification (using limited visual codes, among others), the strategy of eliminating the complications in the interpretation of reality (based on appeals to a “common sense” category and stereotypes, among others), the strategy of “elimination of the media appeal of the message” (effective thanks to an illusion of a total transparency of the medium itself being created) and the strategy of “being friends with the audience” (appealing to their resentments and phobias which — according to a key rule: create yourself a reader — are presented as obvious human needs, impossible to articulate because of the oppressive value system, created by the Others, most of the time being associated with the authority or authorities built on suspicious grounds).
The importance various media attach to epistemic values constitutes a criterion for differentiating between high-quality and popular media. Certainly, epistemic values are not as important in the hierarchy of values that is present in popular media as it is the case with quality media. One has to remember, however, that epistemic values are not the only values that are significant. Thus, it cannot be ascertained whether quality media are “better” than “popular” if the analysis is based solely on epistemic values. Yet, what can be verified is that quality media meet higher epistemic standards. In the article I try to broadly outline axiological dimensions of both types of media. What I consider to be the axiological dimension is a set of all the positive and negative values (values and antivalues) present in these media.
The article presents the considerations, that the tabloids (here: the press and gossip portals) promote distorted, but suggestive picture of the world. These media have enormous creative potential. Under this concept the ability to create a false vision of reality (rather than reflecting it faithfully) is meant. The article is divided into two parts, an analysis of media discourse is the first of them. The author tries to determine if the tabloid articles and gossip portals respect the principle of accuracy, brevity and of regulation of journalistic ethics. Research helps deduce the following conclusion: tabloid media break "factual pact." The media create a false picture of the world and they use the mechanisms of fiction, rather than reflect reality. In the second part of the article the author focuses on the language, typography and graphic persuasive mechanisms that are present in the tabloids and gossip websites. Case studies were preceded by reflections on the relationship between persuasion and manipulation.
This paper discusses the history and current state of tabloid studies in Poland and abroad. As the classical distinction between quality press and tabloid newspapers ceased to exist, one may notice a growing role of the latter and increasing tabloidization of other media. This phenomenon can be approached at two levels: micro level — limited to media environment and macro level — embracing social aspect. Among the causes suggested by the researchers are changes in the social structure and morality of the readers and the emergence of new technologies that have strong impact on progressively competitive market. The first part of the paper is devoted to the origins of the tabloid newspapers, whereas subsequent ones examine the content, form and style of the same. Finally, presentation of various typologies shows heterogeneity of the tabloid group. In addition, the paper provides information about the readers as well as the viewpoints of journalists and scholars on tabloid media.
My thesis refers to the events that took place in June 2008. A 14-year-old pregnant girl was admitted to one of the Warsaw hospitals. “Życie Warszawy” published short news about this case. Few days later a real war started in the media. Th e greatest Polish journals of opinion were trying to persuade their readers to believe one, “true” version of the girl’s story. They were also attacking the opponents for spreading rumors and for ideological engagement. This thesis consists of two parts. In the first, I try to clarify what is understood as a “media fact.” The second part is supported with the press material. It shows how the manner of facts’ presentation depends on ideology of the medium. In the conclusions I illustrate that the media are aware of their “tabloidization.” Furthermore, I wish to show how a media fact is created.
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