REALL News - Vol 03 No 01 - 1995

Magazine Overview

The REALL News, Volume 3 Issue 1, published in January 1995, features an article titled "A Look into the Sun -- and Other Tabloids Part 3 -- The Lure of Money" by Bob Ladendorf. The issue opens with a quote from James Randi: "It's a very dangerous thing to believe in nonsense."

Tabloid Coverage and History

Bob Ladendorf's article continues a series examining supermarket tabloids. He points out that not all tabloids are alike, with The Sun and the Weekly World News (WWN) being singled out for their extensive coverage of paranormal and pseudoscientific occurrences. Previous parts of the series demonstrated that these articles often rely on weak or vague sources and frequently detail events occurring in obscure or foreign locations. This third part focuses on the tabloids' core purpose and their historical presence in American life.

The article traces the history of sensationalist journalism back to the penny press and the 1845 weekly national Police Gazette, known for its crime articles. It mentions the "yellow journalism" era around the turn of the century and tabloid newspaper wars in the 1920s and '30s. Bernarr Macfadden, a bodybuilder and tabloid publisher, is noted for developing the "composograph," an altered or enhanced photograph.

Ladendorf suggests that humankind has always been fascinated by sex, crime, and the supernatural, drawing parallels between historical events like Shakespeare's Hamlet and modern phenomena such as royal dalliances, the O.J. Simpson trial, and alien abductions. The article notes that sensational stories continue to sell newspapers, with the O.J. Simpson story alone boosting the National Enquirer's circulation by 500,000 a week, with 21 issues featuring Simpson-related stories on their covers in the preceding half-year.

Financial Motivations and Journalism Standards

The article posits that sensationalism is driven by money and a public appetite for gossip, often at the expense of truth. It also addresses the writers and editors behind these stories, questioning how they cope with the ridicule from mainstream journalists. Salaries in the tabloid industry are presented as lucrative: established reporters at WWN can earn $75,000 or more, with recent hires starting at $53,000, and editors earning well into the six figures. This contrasts sharply with beginning journalists who average $20,000 a year, those with five years' experience averaging $30,000, and senior editors at large newspapers earning $60,000, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

Sue Hubbell, writing in Smithsonian magazine, is quoted regarding the backgrounds of WWN staffers, noting they are often alumni of prestigious universities like Harvard or Bryn Mawr, including former New York Times and Capitol Hill reporters. WWN editor Eddie Clontz is quoted as saying they have to pay these staff well because they are essentially asking them to end their careers, referring to the industry as the "French Foreign Legion of journalism."

"Checkbook journalism" is identified as another reason tabloids are criticized. The National Enquirer reportedly has an editorial budget of $16 million, with a significant portion allocated to paying informants. Examples include a maid to Nicole Simpson receiving $18,000 for her account of the O.J. and Nicole's relationship, and Gennifer Flowers receiving $150,000 from The Star for her story about an alleged affair with President Bill Clinton. British tabloids are also mentioned as paying substantial sums for sex stories, with the News of the World paying $262,500 to Bienvenida Sokolow for an alleged affair.

Public Perception and Belief

Despite the criticism, the article explores public trust in media. A 1984 Roper Poll found that only about 20 percent of respondents considered supermarket tabloids accurate. However, a similar poll found that only 24 percent trusted newspapers and a mere 7 percent trusted magazines. The article suggests that Americans may have higher levels of belief in the supernatural than in the accuracy of tabloids, indicating a need for further research into tabloid readership and belief systems.

Tabloids as Folklore

S. Elizabeth Bird, a cultural anthropologist, is cited for her work on tabloids as folklore. She notes their preoccupation with eternal themes, such as the "hero who didn't die" (citing Elvis, JFK, and Jimmy Hoffa), children raised by animals, ghosts, monsters (like Bigfoot), and flying saucers. The article mentions psychologist Carl Jung's tracing of the image of round, healing objects from the skies in medieval paintings to times of social disruption. Modern examples of royalty are expanded to include Oprah Winfrey and Elizabeth Taylor.

Even though supermarket tabloids are often ridiculed, they are widely read. The National Enquirer has even received acknowledgment of accuracy in some of its Simpson stories from the New York Times, sparking controversy.

Conclusion

The issue concludes with a quote from H.L. Mencken: "No one in the world, as far as I know - and I have researched for records for years, and employed agents to help me - has ever lost money by underestimating the intelligence of the great masses of the plain people." This statement encapsulates the enduring appeal and financial success of tabloids, regardless of their content or journalistic standards.

Recurring Themes and Editorial Stance

The recurring themes in this issue revolve around the nature of sensationalism in media, the financial underpinnings of tabloid journalism, and the public's enduring fascination with the extraordinary, the criminal, and the supernatural. The editorial stance appears critical of the sensationalist practices of tabloids while acknowledging their significant readership and financial success, suggesting a complex relationship between media producers, consumers, and the concept of truth. The issue also implicitly critiques the perceived decline in journalistic standards and the financial disparities within the journalism profession.