ESWN: Tabloid Journalism Trumps Politics in Taiwan

A look at the rise and rise of the tabloid Apple Daily, and how it has taken on Taiwan's serious newspapers.

Excerpt:

Recently at the EastSouthWestNorth blog, I wrote: "On a slow news day, there is always the Apple Daily (Taiwan) front page story that can be counted to give a rise." No truer words that those, but it is those front page headline news with colorful (especially bloody) photos that has catapulted Appled Daily in the leadership position among all Taiwan newspapers. Here is the example that I used:

On this day, the headline said "Father tortures 10-year-old daughter; taken around with a dog leash.

In the following, I have translated an article about the newspaper industry in Taiwan. The article states that the strengths of Apple Daily is in fact lined up against the weaknesses of the competition. Whereas Apple Daily practice a tabloid journalism that highlights scandals and celebrities, the traditional newspapers are often reticent about naming names (unless they are political opponents). Whereas Apple Daily refuse to hold a fixed set of political positions, the traditional newspapers are often still beholden to party-government-corporate political machines. Apple Daily has seized the initiative and shown the way. Their strength is in the youth segment, which is interested in scandals and celebrities but no politics. What can the competition do? What else but even more outrageous tabloid journalism?