During my time in London so far, I have noticed a higher degree of sensationalism than I am used to in print media - from advertisements and PSA posters at bus stops to the most popular newspapers in the country. I will not be addressing "quality papers," though, because they just aren't as humorous. Before I bought any newspapers, I was very amused by some of the safety messages and law reminders I saw plastered on the sides of bus stop shelters and inside tube stations. The scare tactics are amazing. Even though it relates to a very serious issue - the abduction and possible assault of passengers who take rides from unlicensed cabs - I still started laughing on the street when I saw one particular poster. At first glance, it appears to be a horror movie advertisement. It shows a close-up of what appears to be a college-aged woman with a face of absolute terror, eyes wide with fear and signs of weeping, with a mouth screaming for help. The message below the picture reads "No, no, please, stop, no, please, stop, stop taking unbooked minicabs." In theory that should not be funny, but it most certainly is. It's not the problem itself or the efforts at educating the public that are entertaining; it is the method by which the official Transport for London PSA is presented. It absolutely blows my mind that a poster that disturbing is plastered all across the city, next to Burger King ads in the name of public safety.
And the most popular daily newspapers are a thing of beauty, devoid of any semblance of integrity. Instead they supply a generous dose of trashy entertainment to a massive readership. Imagine if the National Enquirer became a daily paper and replaced The Wall Street Journal as the highest-circulated paper in the United States. This gives you an idea of the hierarchy of print media in the United Kingdom.
There is a stereotype that the British are very refined and classy: that they possess impeccable manners and an interest in the finer things. This is true in some cases, perhaps at polo matches and high tea; however, it also is true that the most popular newspaper in the United Kingdom features a topless chick on the third page of every edition. The Sun, selling about 2.9 million copies daily, is the highest circulated newspaper in the U.K. and the second-highest-selling English-language paper in the world, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations and the World Association of Newspapers. The tabloid focuses on celebrity and sports star gossip, as well as on generally scandalous and sensational "news" stories. By comparison, the highest circulated U.S. publication, The Wall Street Journal, sells roughly 2 million copies daily, according to the Audit Bureau of Circulations. The Sun, a right-leaning tabloid - which also happens to be a subsidiary of Rupert Murdoch's News Corp. - is not above publishing a half-naked pinup girl every single day - "just because." The full-page photos of women in their early to mid-20s are accompanied by deep philosophical musings or culturally relevant quotes under the heading "News in Briefs." Puns are big here. It's not an exploitative and purely profit-driven inclusion if you have to read her thoughts, right? And to the delight of middle-school boys across the U.K., this newspaper costs 20 pence - or one-third the price of a can of Coke - as opposed to The Wall Street Journal-equivalent, the Financial Times, which charges 2 pounds per issue. My point is not to say the British are less interested in real news. It's just that there are more people willing to make their morning read the U.S. equivalent of the compiled print versions of E!, TMZ, Fox News and Playboy. The New York Post and The National Enquirer wish they could compete, both monetarily and in level of public appreciation for media of this type, but The Sun sets the bar pretty high when it comes to skeezy publications and getting people to buy them. What makes it all the better is that the second-most popular paper in the U.K., the Daily Mail, is only a slightly less-trashy version of The Sun. To put things into perspective, consider this Daily Mail article titled, "A hairy chest just lacks the sex factor." The article features a photo of Las Vegas show-stopper Tom Jones wearing a "check-out-this-guy" smile while pulling open his unbuttoned shirt to reveal a hairy chest, gilded with a massive silver-and-diamond-cross necklace. This is in the news section.\n\nAlex's column runs biweekly Tuesdays. He can be reached at a.foreman@cavalierdaily.com.
Read More
Dreaming of drunken noodles at Thai Cuisine and Noodle House
By Lizzy Goldstein | 6 hours agoI was amazed by how the tamarind sauce and variety of spices created a cohesive link among all the dishes, tying the dinner together and leaving everyone feeling satiated.
Breaking my silence
By Cecy Juárez | 2 days agoI, Cecy Juárez, am one of the three “squirrels of U.Va.” running the @thesquirrelsofuva page.
Lending a hand during the finals push
By Abby Snowdon | 4 days agoThe race to the end of the year has begun, and University groups have set up pit stops along the course to help students get to the finish line.
