Tabloiding the truth: it's the pun wot won it

Steve Buckledee

2020-01-01

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Abstract

This volume presents a thematic rather than chronological study of the UK tabloid newspapers from the 1960s to the present day. The focus is on the use of language but the prose style is that of “popular linguistics”, accessible to a general readership as well to academics and university students. The analytical tools are those of Stylistics and Critical Discourse Analysis and texts are always considered with refence to historical and sociopolitical context. Although some unsigned editorials are analysed, the preference is for signed articles written by journalists or commentators whose career details, political allegiances and past controversies can be readily discovered. For pieces written since the digital revolution, readers’ online feedback is also considered. Such readers hide their identities behind a nickname and therefore are not constrained by the need to respect legislation regarding defamation and race relations; often they make explicit claims or accusations that professional journalists can only allude to. If certain highly offensive posts are published verbatim, it may say something about the newspaper concerned.