Fake News and Failed Friendships : An Analysis of Trump , Pecker , and the National Enquirer
GIVE THEM WHAT THEY WANT
The Enquirer executives pride themselves on knowing their audience . One editor argued , “ The big news organizations tell people what they think they should be interested in , whereas we try to give them stories that they are interested in ” ( Newsweek para . 11 ). Pecker described the weekly ’ s target audience as , “ People that live their life failing , so they want to read negative things about people who have gone up and then come down ” ( Borchers Why para . 2 ). The writers for the tabloid stoke the anxieties and feelings of inadequacy of their readers with gossip , guilt , and victimization . Paula E . Morton ( 2009 ) in Tabloid Valley , stated the Enquirer , “ Frequently , in the process of exposing personal hypocrisy or impropriety , it inflames a public outrage that the mainstream media pursue in depth ” ( 156 ).
Tom Kludt , a CNN reporter , in his article , “ Most Americans think National Enquirer is covering for Trump ” noted the National Enquirer ’ s readership is female , older , and conservative ( 1 ). Global Direct Response , a subsidiary of AMI , sells advertising for the publication . Their website stated that the average age of readers is 52.3 . The ratio of women to men is 62 / 38 . The average household income of the inquiring minds who purchase the weekly is $ 76,319 , well above the average ( Global 1 ). If they bought the Enquirer on impulse , they can afford to purchase a direct mail order item advertised in the tabloid .
Jack Shafer , POLITICO ’ s senior media writer , in his January / February 2017 article , “ Pravda on the Checkout Line ,” offered two contrasting views of Enquirer readers . He sees them as representatives of the emerging post-truth era , reliant on their own beliefs and indifferent to the facts accepted by the mainstream . He also views them as a pre-truth group , drawn
127