Defenders of the papers say that tabloids understand and represent their readers; critics say that they talk down to them and manipulate them. As British voters have become more disengaged since the 70s, the tabloids’ political messages have had to become louder. It is even possible that the papers’ political stances are even more influential now than in the past, precisely because they are less and less read. Then phone-hacking happened …” Miliband reacted to the scandal by attacking the tabloids’ political influence, and calling for them to be properly regulated. The Sun’s is just a generic showbiz shot, as if the paper’s political coverage is less of a priority nowadays.

Source: The Guardian October 27, 2016 04:52 UTC