Tabloid Valley: Supermarket News and American Culture

Though sensationalism was rampant by the time Generoso Pope, Jr. purchased the struggling New York Enquirer (later the National Enquirer) in 1952, he was arguably first to fully realize the if-it-bleeds-it-leads maxim: ""I noticed how accidents drew crowds, and I decided, if it was blood that interested people, I'd give it to them."" Journalist Morton chronicles the rise of Pope's tabloid news empire, from its first shock-value headlines through its toned-down, supermarket-friendly format (aiming at the suburban Reader's Digest demographic) and into the loony heights of tabloid surrealism. After Pope moved his venture to Lantana, Fla., he acquired the Weekly World News, which took the tabloid concept to new levels of absurdity (headlines include ""Bat Child Found in Cave"" and ""Elvis is Alive!""). Morton uncovers fascinating details behind the paper's most sensational stories, including the1977 photo of Elvis in his coffin and the 1987 story of philandering presidential hopeful Gary Hart. The book also covers tabloid staples like Jon-Benet Ramsey, O.J Simpson, Princess Diana and 9/11, as well as Pope's competition (especially Rupert Murdoch's Star). This delightful, nostalgic look at a peculiar era in journalism demonstrates its lasting influence on mainstream news (greater than many would like to admit); front-page reproductions of the Enquirer and its contemporaries round out the tour.