Tabloid “production” of sense and value
Our analyses are an attempt to look at certain axiological aspects of the contemporary tabloid media. It is an attempt that is survey-like and narrow in scope, whose purpose is to catch sight of certain phenomena which are characteristic of the quality of the contemporary media culture. One of the significant phenomena is tabloidization, which refers to both classic and well-described tabloids and all other media, called tabloidal, which yield to the pressure of tabloidization. Consequently, classic press tabloids which are examined thoroughly and at the interdisciplinary basis are not the only point of reference; reference is also made here to the functioning of new electronic media, where the tabloidization phenomenon is more difficult to grasp and less explored. Working within the field of the philosophy and axiology of the media, we make an attempt to provide an answer to how the world of values and sense reveals itself in the tabloid and tabloidal media; and, conversely, how contemporary culture and media tendencies, the mentality of the media civilization influence and shape the message of the tabloids. In our analyses reference is made both to theoretical media analyses and to rich empirical knowledge of the field. Our immediate objective is not evaluation of the tabloidization process and its consequences in ethical categories. We endeavor to throw some light upon them from a rationalist perspective, leaving aside any ethical evaluation of the phenomena to individualistic responsibility of all participants of the contemporary mediosphere.