Tabloid television

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A WNYW-TV full screen segment intro from 2005.

Tabloid television is similar to tabloid newspapers. Tabloid television newscasts usually incorporate flashy graphics and sensationalistic stories, some with little or no local relevance. Often, there is a heavy emphasis on crime, stories with good video, and celebrity news.

1 Examples of tabloid television
2 See also
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Examples of tabloid television

The basic tabloid television format developed on nationally syndicated programmes such as Hard Copy, Inside Edition, and A Current Affair which all incorporate flashy graphics with sensationalistic stories. Tabloid talk shows were extremely popular during the end of the 20th century.

Some stations, like NBC owned and operated WCAU-TV, air primarily weather and crime stories. Other stations, such as the CBS network flagship station WCBS-TV put their own special programming ahead of hard news. Examples of this are with exclusive "Shame on You" and "Eat At Your Own Risk" segments beating out major stories to top the newscast. One egregious example of their self promotion trend occurred on May 24, 2005. This was the day the United States House of Representatives took a major vote regarding the funding of stem cell research, WCBS led their 11 p.m. newscast with a story and exclusive video of actor Burt Reynolds slapping a CBS producer. Rivals WNBC and WABC led with the stem cell funding vote.

WSVN in Miami, Florida was one of the first stations to popularize the tabloid television in the local news arena. Today, the format is prevalent with FOX affiliates, such as WNYW-TV and WTTG-TV. FOX's parent company News Corporation owns The New York Post, a notorious daily tabloid newspaper.