Tabloid Culture vs.

Journalism

Problem Statement

This study will contrast the covers of US Weekly magazine with news reports in

the same time period in order to determine if there is an increase in celebrity status and/or drama as the

gravity of the news increases.

Key Points:Literature

Review

An informed public is a key cornerstone to a democratic society – Bagdikian

The media does not tell us what to think, but it is very good at telling us what to think about – McCombs and Shaw

Celebrity journalism is a cheap, easy way to fill the news hole – especially since newsroom are shrinking – Altman

Celebrity journalism also caters to younger, hipper audiences and presents its “stars” in a more evaluative, judgmental light - Wilson

Methodology

Time.com declared the top news story of 2008 the financial crisis that peaked on September 13th. Headlines on the front pages of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York Times from September 1st – 30th, 2008 were noted.

Five consecutive issues of US Weekly during this same time period were analyzed.

Those issues published pre-September 13th were considered “pre-financial crisis” with those published after considered “post-financial crisis”.

Data Analysis:

Individuals

72% of those pictured were female.88% of those pictured were Caucasian.There were no overweight persons pictured.There were no unattractive persons pictured.Over half of those pictured were settled

adults, i.e. late twenties to early forties.

DataAnalysis:Scandals

Out of the 25 people featured on the covers, 12 had corresponding headlines that indicated scandal.

Of those 12 people indicated in some type of scandal, 58% were pictured on the pre-financial crisis covers, while 42% were pictured on the post-crisis covers.

All of the explicitly scandalous headlines appeared on post-financial crisis covers.

Literature Review

Revisited

The fact that the covers primarily featured settled adult, white females, most often attractive and thin... probably coincides with the reality that gossip magazines

are “...an ever-expanding array of...outlets [that] invite their ‘younger and hipper’ audiences to relish the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle while engaging in evaluation of those who live it” (Wilson 26). While the results are still inconclusive, it appears as though

those featured on the covers are chosen specifically to appeal to the younger, hipper audience of celebrity gossip magazines.

LiteratureReview

Revisited,cont.

While the results regarding scandalous headlines are inconclusive as well, further study on this topic should be conducted because... “some researchers argue that as the media dishes out

an increasingly rich diet of celebrity hype, less and less attention is paid to informing citizens about government and the world around them – undercutting a cornerstone of a democratic society” (Altman 247).

Recommendations

Instead of coding each individual featured on the cover, code each headline.

Choose a newsworthy event that clearly has no precursor in the news prior to the actual occurrence, such as the earthquake in Haiti (as opposed to the financial crisis which appeared on front pages as early as 2007).

Conclusion

While the results are inconclusive at best, the study warrants further investigation in order

to determine if there is a cause and effect relationship between legitimate news and increasingly dramatic celebrity headlines.

THANK YOU!