Although previously the mainstream media would consider speculation upon the sexual proclivities of public figures to be an undignified form of journalism, changes in recent decades have shown this attitude to be a relic of the past. With the deluge of information about celebrities' personal lives filtered to us through the media, the question must be asked: how much of this is in the public interest and how much is simply irrelevant and intrusive gossip?
Online newspapers are now dependent on generating clicks to produce ad revenue rather than producing quality journalism
The tabloidisation process has been exacerbated by the rise of social media and the concurrent decline of print media, as people no longer need to pay to access most journalism. These developments have fanned the flames of sensationalism to an enormous degree, with online newspapers dependent on generating clicks for ad revenue rather than delivering quality journalism. This has created an online media atmosphere defined by an abundance of absurd clickbait articles designed to provoke rather than inform.
The treatment of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle in recent years is a good example of this, showing the uglier, racist side of tabloid culture in the media. Almost every detail of the couple’s private lives were scrutinised in a manner that paled in comparison to the laughably benevolent treatment received by Prince William and Kate Middleton, with one Daily Mail headline describing Meghan as “straight outta compton” - a telling example of the picture the media aimed to paint of her.
‘Spare’ has become the fastest selling non-fiction book since UK records began
While Prince Harry’s new book ‘Spare’ has prompted ridicule for its vivid and unfiltered descriptions of his misadventures, this may be a deceptively intelligent way of turning the media sensationalism which once haunted him to his advantage. ‘Spare’ has become the fastest selling non-fiction book in the UK since records began, in large part due to viral clips of Harry narrating particularly juicy parts of his audiobook spreading like wildfire across social media, as well as it making waves in mainstream outlets. With this incentive for celebrities to share their personal details for financial gain, it is no wonder that tabloidisation appears to be here to stay.