Why a 19th-century pill brand became the name for sensationalist journalism
In short: The term tabloid began as a pharmaceutical trademark for compressed pills in the 1880s. By 1901, it described condensed news, eventually evolving into a shorthand for the sensationalist, red-masthead newspapers that dominate popular culture. Today, the format is a global standard, often adopted simply for the convenience of commuters.
The word tabloid originated with the London-based firm Burroughs Wellcome & Co., which marketed compressed medicinal tablets under that name in the late 1880s. By 1901, the term was being used to describe journalism that condensed stories into a simplified, easily absorbed format. It was not until 1918 that the word became synonymous with the smaller, compact newspaper sheets that housed these stories.
Modern tabloids are broadly split into two categories: red tops and compacts. Red tops, named for their distinctive mastheads, are characterized by sensationalist reporting on crime, celebrity gossip, and scandal. This style, often called tabloid journalism, prioritizes shock value and visual impact over in-depth analysis. In contrast, the term compact was coined in the 1970s—notably by the Daily Mail—to allow newspapers to adopt the smaller, more portable size without inheriting the downmarket reputation of red-top journalism.
The shift toward compact formats has been driven largely by practicality. As broadsheet newspapers sought to reduce costs and accommodate readers on crowded public transport, many transitioned to smaller dimensions. This trend is global; from the Norwegian newspapers that have almost entirely switched to tabloid size, to the Daily Sun in South Africa, which reaches millions of readers. Even traditionally serious papers like The Times and The Independent have adopted the compact format, proving that the physical size of a newspaper is no longer a reliable indicator of its editorial quality or political leaning.
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- Summary by Intellect · source: Tabloid (newspaper format)
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