Photojournalism and the Tabloid Press by Karin E Becker (in The Photography Reader by Liz Wells)
- Taking the opening and closing paragraphs, summarise the writer’s basic contention and conclusion.
These talk about the immediate, direct appeal of photos. Is it ‘true’ journalism? It seems excluded from the ‘serious’ press. Tabloids - display and appeal of photos are used to judge the tabloid press as ‘merely’ popular. Critique from tabloid directed against elite journalism. How photos are used as a news vehicle and deconstruction of news. There is a dichotomy between serious journalistic photography and tabloid photography.
- What does the conclusion add to the opening statement?
Photojournalism has a popular status rather than journalism. The essays are not cleanly edited and are not composed as well. Lots of overlaps between photos and text. The emotional nature of photos was mentioned and how subjects may be presented as social equals.
- Stages of the argument
The early picture press
This described the history of illustrated magazines from the 1840’s in various European countries. It mentions America from the 1850’s. These magazines used illustrators and sent them to events to engrave pictures on their return. ‘Eye witness.’ At the time wood engravings were thought to be truer. Sometimes engravings were made from a photo. In the 1890’s there was a gradual change to using photos. The successful depiction of
‘Maine’ and how it was explained. The war with Spain saw an increase in weekly magazines in the US. Advertising support grew. It is believed that use of photos may have increased magazine sales at the beginning of the century. d
The tabloid=sensationalism=photography
Daily newspapers took longer to use photos as it was felt the process was too cumbersome at the start. Tabloid press in the 1920‘s - sensational photos of violence, sex, accidents and society scandals. Sensational journalism breaks ethical guidelines to sell more papers by attracting attention. It is not always subject matter but the way photos are reproduced that appealed to emotions and created the sensation. Examples are the cameraman watching an execution with a camera taped to his ankle at the point of death.
The daily press ‘supplements’ the news
Daily newspapers in Europe and North America didn’t have regular photos until 1920, mainly in tabloids. As tabloids had lowered credibility of the press, it was hard for photos to be seen as a medium for serious news. Weekly supplements started with the daily press in magazine format - better reproduction. Newspapers were the primary product and were not seen to be downgraded by the photo.
The picture magazines’ legacy
Mass circulation picture magazines mainly emerged between the wars in Germany and other European countries, and the late 1930’s in England and the US. They established new genres of photo reportage. Photo essays and documenting people. Documentary photography was accepted as art and started to be seen in museums. The status of photojournalism and photojournalists reached unprecedented heights.
The contemporary domain of the tabloid
Many different kinds of newspapers are in tabloid format. There is a varying degree of overlap with the elite press. Reliance on news stand selling - ie the front page sells. More presence of photos. Three broad categories of coverage - private or other persons in circumstances that make them newsworthy, celebrities and ‘news’ style events.
Plain pictures of ordinary people
Often a photo in a very plain setting is used with words to explain what happened. May resemble an ordinary family photo without the words. Often people are looking at the camera. Accessible to viewers. Co-operative. Or could be ID portrait style or candid showing events that are underway.
Celebrities
Usually shown posing at home with family. Seeing the ‘real’ person. Angle and eye contact bring them to viewer’s level. Often alongside performance or file photos. Candid photos appear quite often but not as much as we think. Most paarazzi photos appear in the weekly press.
The news event
‘News’ has many definitions but there is a core of national and international news events covered. Reminds us often what may appear candid but maybe more planned. Experiences with lots of emotion. Sometimes photos are grainy or underexposed - accepted as the ‘tabloid style.’ How ordinary people are affected by events.
Reframing the picture in words and layout
Photos - meaning in relation to how they are seen. Relationship to words - tabloid press more dramatic. Headlines used a lot. Meaning of this relationship between photos and text. Text illustrates the image. Often direct quotes are used, to do with the people in the photos. Use of first/third person. Apart from events or part of it. Montages used as well as retouching - not good for representation of fact. Photos should be a window.
* Becker contrasts the use of photos in the tabloid press with their use elsewhere. Do these contrasts bolster her central argument or detract from it? Bolster - pointing out differences and why - does bolster. Numerous contrasts but not representative.
* How successful do you think the writer has been in arguing her case? Very. This made me a lot more informed. Lots of examples were covering a long period of time. Not quite decisive though about the original contention.
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