# Are there any actual newspapers in the UK? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 5, 2010, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097 "2010-06-05T22:02:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Charley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/97f17d/32.png) [@Charley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Charley)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/21 "2010-06-06T20:39:55Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Aye, I asked rudely. Don’t whip me with a cane, guv’. Well… ok then. Poke you with a stick? smack you on the nose with a rolled up newspaper? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/22 "2010-06-06T21:25:30Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Aye, I asked rudely. Don’t whip me with a cane, guv’.Thanks for this. I know what to look for now. (And I thought the _Economist_ called itself a newspaper.) Now you mention it, I have seen the _Financial Times._ Sort of makes our _Wall Street Journal_ look like a midget thing. And the WSJ isn’t pink. Whether that’s a point for or against it I leave to you. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [June 6, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/23 "2010-06-06T23:54:21Z")
There are five UK newspapers called “broadsheets”, which are about the same standard as the most well-respected newspapers in the US: The Times, the Guardian, the Daily Telegraph, the Independent and the Financial Times. The Evening Standard is another good quality paper. The Economist is usually thought of as a magazine rather than a newspaper, but as you point out it’s an excellent publication. Personally I think the FT is superior to the Wall Street Journal, and I think The Times (you guys sometimes call it “The London Times” over there) is superior to any US newspaper I’ve read. But that’s just an opinion. 🙂 Either way, I think it’s undeniable that UK journalism is of a very high standard in international terms. I think that for one city in a fairly small country to produce 7 good-quality newspapers, a handful of which are genuinely world class, is quite impressive, even if they all have their flaws. The Sun and the Daily Mirror are what’s called “tabloid” newspapers. They’re loud-mouthed and gaudy, with simplistic, emotional writing and lots of coverage about sport and half-naked women. There’s also the Daily Mail, Daily Express, Daily Star, News of the World and Daily Sport along the same lines. I wouldn’t bother reading them, although if you want to anyway, the Sun is the best example, it’s very clever at playing to its audience. And tacky as they are, they do still do genuine journalistic work sometimes: they’ve unearthed a whole bunch of political scandals and they wield a serious influence over politics and popular opinion over here. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/24 "2010-06-07T06:29:38Z")
Don’t forget the regional papers such as the _Scotsman_, the _Yorkshire Post_ and the _Western Daily Press_. They all tend to be at the serious end of the spectrum ---
**Author:** ![Superhal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Superhal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superhal)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/25 "2010-06-07T08:34:52Z")
> [@Teacake](#): > > Or are all your papers and news organisations as biased and insular as… I don’t know, insert whichever one is worst, since that’s what you did. Or to base it on something completely unrelated, which is also what you did (with the lads’ mags), someone could suggest the name of a movie or TV series. > > “UK journalism” is “insubstantial claptrap”? Fucking hell. Though you pretend to be asking about newspapers, your absolute statement about journalism requires me to offer you, with no further comment, the BBC. Your statement is moronic. I get my news from the UK feed of Reuters. No US newspapers are worth reading. If I have enough money, the bare minimum I read for “news” is Time or Newsweek. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/26 "2010-06-07T09:00:01Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > Don’t forget the regional papers such as the _Scotsman_, the _Yorkshire Post_ and the _Western Daily Press_. They all tend to be at the serious end of the spectrum The Scotsman is a proper broadsheet, akin to the Times. ---
**Author:** ![Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@Petrobey\_Mavromihalis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Petrobey_Mavromihalis)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 9:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/27 "2010-06-07T09:31:20Z")
> [@Rayne\_Man](#): > > Don’t forget the regional papers such as the _Scotsman_, the _Yorkshire Post_ and the _Western Daily Press_. They all tend to be at the serious end of the spectrum My local is now the _East Anglian_, and I’d rate it as a pretty good newspaper (although regional stories can sometimes be hilarious - headlines such as “Car wing mirror smashed” make this ex-Londoner smile). ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/28 "2010-06-07T11:02:20Z")
_The Sun_ is certainly not a “made-up news” tabloid like the _National Enquirer_ or the _Weekly World News_. Yes, it often runs sleaze, sex scandals and celebrity gossip, but it does report on the same news stories as other newspapers, and often in some detail. Admittedly, the coverage is deliberately “dumbed down” to an extent, and you won’t see much in-depth political analysis, but it’s still a proper newspaper. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/29 "2010-06-07T12:37:56Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > There are five UK newspapers called “broadsheets.” > > The Sun and the Daily Mirror are what’s called “tabloid” newspapers. And, just to be clear, “broadsheet” and “tabloid” do not refer to the quality of content of newspapers, but rather their size. However, it seems that broadsheets have become synonymous with more respectable newspapers and tabloids are associated with more lurid and sensational journalism. In the US, for example, there are plenty of respected newspapers that are tabloids (the Chicago Sun-Times, for instance), although they may not be colloquially refered to as such. ---
**Author:** ![Sri\_Theo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Sri\_Theo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sri_Theo)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 12:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/30 "2010-06-07T12:53:00Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > And, just to be clear, “broadsheet” and “tabloid” do not refer to the quality of content of newspapers, but rather their size. Not really, all the broadsheets have shrunk over the last few years, simply as a matter of convenience. So the broadsheet/tabloid distinction is entirely about perceived quality and reliability. I believe the new broadsheet size is often referred to as “Berliner” or something similar… ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/31 "2010-06-07T13:11:44Z")
> [@Sri\_Theo](#): > > I believe the new broadsheet size is often referred to as “Berliner” or something similar… That’s just the Guardian with its odd half-way house size. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/32 "2010-06-07T13:34:17Z")
Most large UK towns and cities have a daily evening paper. For example, here in the Midlands, you will find the _Coventry Evening Telegraph_, _Leicestershire Mercury,_ _Nottingham Evening Post_ and the _Birmingham Evening Mail_ . As well as carrying local, national and international news, they are chock full of adverts for cars, houses and jobs. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/33 "2010-06-07T14:26:29Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > And, just to be clear, “broadsheet” and “tabloid” do not refer to the quality of content of newspapers, but rather their size. However, it seems that broadsheets have become synonymous with more respectable newspapers and tabloids are associated with more lurid and sensational journalism. In the US, for example, there are plenty of respected newspapers that are tabloids (the Chicago Sun-Times, for instance), although they may not be colloquially refered to as such. Maybe historically, but in the UK nowadays the terms “broadsheet” and “tabloid” most definitely refer to the quality of newspapers, not their size. The Times and the Independent are compacts, the same format as the tabloids, but they’re still “broadsheets”. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/34 "2010-06-07T15:48:16Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > Maybe historically, but in the UK nowadays the terms “broadsheet” and “tabloid” most definitely refer to the quality of newspapers, not their size. The Times and the Independent are compacts, the same format as the tabloids, but they’re still “broadsheets”. Interesting. The term definitely comes from the size of the paper, and I believe the technical meaning is the same, but colloquially it may have a different meaning. Just like here in America, while “tabloid” is technically the size of the paper, to most people “tabloid” means a sensationalistic newspaper like the Enquirer or made-up garbage like the Weekly World News. The Independent [itself](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-independent-announces-launch-of-compact-version-in-northwest-734372.html) refers to its compact version as a tabloid version, so it seems the technical sense is used in the UK in the industry, as well. > [@](#): > > From today, readers of The Independent in the North-west will find their newspaper available in two sizes. The version you are reading, the broadsheet edition, will be on sale in the Granada TV region alongside a new tabloid version. ---
**Author:** ![Rayne\_Man](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/df705f/32.png) [@Rayne\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rayne_Man)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/35 "2010-06-07T15:54:56Z")
Another term that can be used to distinguish “frivolous” newspapers from the more serious sort is [Red Tops](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_tops) _The expression is relatively new, and stems probably from the need to distinguish between the more traditional tabloids, which are now more frequently called Red Tops, and former broadsheet newspapers such as The Times and The Independent, who in recent years have switched to the tabloid or compact format, whilst maintaining their emphasis on political and financial news and commentary._ ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/36 "2010-06-07T19:59:25Z")
> [@yabob](#): > > And the WSJ isn’t pink. Whether that’s a point for or against it I leave to you. Well, the only problem I had with the pink paper on the FT was trying to do the crosswords in pencil. Low contrast, you see. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3ec8ea/32.png) [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Great_Philosopher)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2010, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/37 "2010-06-07T23:56:44Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Interesting. The term definitely comes from the size of the paper, and I believe the technical meaning is the same, but colloquially it may have a different meaning. Just like here in America, while “tabloid” is technically the size of the paper, to most people “tabloid” means a sensationalistic newspaper like the Enquirer or made-up garbage like the Weekly World News. > > The Independent [itself](http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/the-independent-announces-launch-of-compact-version-in-northwest-734372.html) refers to its compact version as a tabloid version, so it seems the technical sense is used in the UK in the industry, as well. You’re right, if it’s explicitly clear by the context that you’re talking about the size of the newspaper and nothing else, then you could say the Independent or The Times are in ‘tabloid’ format (although even that’s rare, the term ‘compact’ format is generally used instead). But you couldn’t make a general statement, without such a context, that “the Independent is a tabloid” or “The Times is a tabloid”. Even within the industry, it just wouldn’t make sense. Nowadays newspapers here are defined as ‘broadsheets’ or ‘tabloids’ purely based on their style and quality, not because of their sizes. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/38 "2010-06-08T00:37:04Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > You’re right, if it’s explicitly clear by the context that you’re talking about the size of the newspaper and nothing else, then you could say the Independent or The Times are in ‘tabloid’ format (although even that’s rare, the term ‘compact’ format is generally used instead). But you couldn’t make a general statement, without such a context, that “the Independent is a tabloid” or “The Times is a tabloid”. Even within the industry, it just wouldn’t make sense. Nowadays newspapers here are defined as ‘broadsheets’ or ‘tabloids’ purely based on their style and quality, not because of their sizes. OK, then the usage is slightly different here in the US. Within the industry, “tabloid” doesn’t necessarily carry a negative connotation. In popular lingo, it does. Are you sure it’s not used neutrally in the industry? I’m finding a number of British sites that refer to “the Independent tabloid” without it being a criticism of the newspaper. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 3:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/39 "2010-06-08T03:24:37Z")
Actually, never mind. I don’t think we’re disagreeing here. ---
**Author:** ![Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8c91f0/32.png) [@Bam\_Boo\_Gut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bam_Boo_Gut)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2010, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097/40 "2010-06-08T21:55:36Z")
> [@The\_Great\_Philosopher](#): > > snip The Times (you guys sometimes call it “The London Times” over there) is superior to any US newspaper I’ve read. It’s so called because of the other edition - The Manchester Times - I don’t think that comes out any more, but old habits die hard. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-there-any-actual-newspapers-in-the-uk/542097.md?page=3)