International Journal of Indonesian Studies Volume 1, Issue 3 | Page 24

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INDONESIAN STUDIES
SPRING 2016
In contrast, there are those who praise tabloid journalism for its readability and
affordability. According to Conboy (2002, p. 44), tabloid journalism is becoming acceptable,
compared to other kinds of journalism, because it offers lighter issues that are easier to
read and accessible to sections of the population who, due to increasing literacy in
developing countries, are first-time newspaper readers. Furthermore, tabloid journalism
addresses problems of the common people, as distinct from the wealthy. It meets the
information needs of people in lower socioeconomic groups and creates an opportunity for
them to understand current affairs. As Kavanagh (2011) argues, ‘We turn complex subjects
(politics, commerce, war) into crisp easily understood copy’ (p. 27). Thus, tabloid
newspapers extend the scope of newspapers’ readers.
In addition to differences of perspective on the value of tabloid journalism, there are
also different views about the definition of a ‘tabloid’. According to Bessie (as cited in
Franklin, Hamer, Hanna, Kinsey & Richardson, 2005, p. 279) tabloids are defined by their
focus on sensational and emotional content. Bi