Differences between tabloid and quality press
This table points out some common differences between tabloid and quality newspapers. Remember, though, that these ârulesâ are certainly not hard and fast and can be âbrokenâ.
For example, tabloids may include serious political coverage, while quality newspapers may contain celebrity stories, or headlines with puns.
| Tabloid Press | Quality Press | |
| Content | News, opinion and a significant coverage of celebrity, including celebrity scandal. Stories tend to be shorter. | News, analysis and opinion; celebrity coverage is minimal. Stories are often longer, with more background detail provided. |
| Angle | Will choose angle according to readership. | Will choose angle according to readership. |
| Headline | Alliteration, puns, emotive. | Straightforward, factual. |
| Intro | Sensationalist, emotive. | Straightforward, factual. |
| Language | Simple and short sentences and paragraphs. Language is emotive, dramatic or sensationalist. Slang and puns are common. | More complex. Sentences and paragraphs can be longer; more subordinate clauses are used. Language is formal, measured and detached rather than sensationalist. Proper titles are used rather than slang or nicknames. |
| Content | |
| Tabloid Press | News, opinion and a significant coverage of celebrity, including celebrity scandal. Stories tend to be shorter. |
| Quality Press | News, analysis and opinion; celebrity coverage is minimal. Stories are often longer, with more background detail provided. |
| Angle | |
| Tabloid Press | Will choose angle according to readership. |
| Quality Press | Will choose angle according to readership. |
| Headline | |
| Tabloid Press | Alliteration, puns, emotive. |
| Quality Press | Straightforward, factual. |
| Intro | |
| Tabloid Press | Sensationalist, emotive. |
| Quality Press | Straightforward, factual. |
| Language | |
| Tabloid Press | Simple and short sentences and paragraphs. Language is emotive, dramatic or sensationalist. Slang and puns are common. |
| Quality Press | More complex. Sentences and paragraphs can be longer; more subordinate clauses are used. Language is formal, measured and detached rather than sensationalist. Proper titles are used rather than slang or nicknames. |
Quality newspapers like The Times are sometimes called broadsheets or compact papers
Examples of different language choices
| Tabloid Press | Quality Press |
| Posh | Elitist |
| Health watchdog | Public health official |
| Gig | Concert |
| Cop, peeler, bobby | Police |
| AWOL | Missing |
| Fighting for their lives | Critical |
| Slam | Criticise |
| Back | Support |
| Tabloid Press | Posh |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Elitist |
| Tabloid Press | Health watchdog |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Public health official |
| Tabloid Press | Gig |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Concert |
| Tabloid Press | Cop, peeler, bobby |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Police |
| Tabloid Press | AWOL |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Missing |
| Tabloid Press | Fighting for their lives |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Critical |
| Tabloid Press | Slam |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Criticise |
| Tabloid Press | Back |
|---|---|
| Quality Press | Support |