TABLOIDIZATION AND THE TEEN MARKET

Abstract

Popular journalism debates have often neglected magazines as an area for study, and teenage magazines in particular, despite the fact that many of those crying “tabloidization” are effectively simply accusing newspapers of becoming more like magazines. This article will define “popular” journalism and “tabloid” journalism, establishing them as distinct and different from each other, and will then consider whether a “tabloidization” of teenage magazines can be said to have occurred. Preliminary content analysis and interviews with nine teenage magazine editors and publishers, past and present, suggests a number of changes to editorial content, including the introduction of “diets” and increasingly “sensational” sex stories. But does this amount to “tabloidization” and, if so, what is behind it—and will it save teenage magazines or ultimately bring about their demise?

Keywords:

• dumbing down
• popular journalism
• public education
• tabloidization

Notes

1. Peaches Geldof wrote for Elle Girl until it folded in 2005.

2. Dumb and Dumberer When Harry Met Lloyd (2003) starred Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels.

3. USP from unique selling point or unique selling proposition—originates from Reeves (1961) and refers to the one thing a product offers that its competitors do not. It is a commonly used term in magazines.

4. These did not go on national sale but were circulated to limited “test” audiences and give a strong indication of the principal themes these early magazines intended to explore.

5. Preview copies of the November 1994 and March 1995 issues, and the May 1995 issue.

6. December 2004, January 2005, February 2005, March 2005, April 2005 and May 2005 issues.

7. “Coverline” is the industry term for the short headlines/teasers that appear on the covers of all magazines.

8. Due to a change in distribution, December issues now come out at the start of November, which was not the case when Bliss launched. So, despite different cover dates, these two issues would have appeared precisely 10 years apart.

9. Others included: “We Only Date Men Over 30”; “School Bully Slept with My Mum”; “My Teacher Kidnapped Me—now we're in love”; “My Wild Boyfriend Got Six Girls Pregnant”; “Mum, I Stole Your Boyfriend”; “I Went to the Loo and Had a Baby”; “My Classmates Don't Know I'm a Prostitute”; “Sleazy! I'm 15 and Addicted to Group Sex”; “Evil, Help, My Sick Stepdad's Abusing Me”; “My Sick Mate Sleeps with My 64-year-old Dad”; “Teen Lesbian Killers!”

10. “Trapped in a Dead Body for 18 Months”, “My Year of Prison Hell” and “I Cut Off My Spots with Nail Clippers”.

11. TMAP—the Teenage Magazines’ Arbitration Panel: the magazine industry's self-regulatory body which, according to the Periodical Publishers Association website: “ensures that the sexual content of teenage magazines is presented in a responsible and appropriate manner” (http://www.ppa.co.uk/tmap/).