2- Tabloid Media

 Tabloid Media vs Celebrities

Entertainment-based media is not something that was invented by social media. Tabloids are news sources that focus on popular culture and hot topics that entice readers with loud images and captions that scream the word "drama". Tabloid writers chase hot gossip at the expense of the people discussed. Magazines such as US Weekly and People Magazine cover celebrity drama and modern events and accompany their articles with dramatic headlines that draw in their audience. 

Although tabloids can be very informative, the content within these magazines can often be misleading or inaccurate. According to BBC, tabloids often feature shorter articles that are fast reads with lots of expressive writing. Despite these stories being entertaining, they often gloss over many important facts that more reliable news sources also cover, such as political events and celebrity stories. The minimal information provided within these articles can be misleading, causing readers to form uneducated opinions on different topics and celebrities. This can have detrimental effects on celebrities who fall under public view in these tabloids, and very few understand this more than Taylor Swift.

Taylor Swift has been in public view since her breakthrough during the late 2000s with her first country album. Ever since then her every move has been scrutinized by the public, especially her dating life. 

After facing public backlash for exploring her dating life during her 20s, Taylor Swift decided to disappear from public view for the end of 2016 through the beginning of 2017. Swift stated "I just wanted to disappear. No one physically saw me for a year. That's what I thought they wanted." Her silence displayed just how harmful it can be to constantly criticize the lives of celebrities. 

Since her return to the spotlight, Swift has embraced more of the publicity that constantly chases her, utilizing it in order to portray easter eggs about when her new album releases will take place. She has included details in her music videos as well as on her website. However, sharp-eyed viewers have gone so far as to speculate when her albums drop will occur based on the paparazzi images of her daily outfits. Certain fans noticed that her clothing style often changes and then overlaps based on what albums Swift is about to release. As of right now, fans are speculating that Swift is planning on releasing Reputation Taylor's Version because of the amount of plaid in her current wardrobe. 

Taylor Swift during Reputation's initial release. (2017)

Taylor Swift at the Kansas City Chiefs vs New Orleans Saints game. (2024)

These articles can be extremely invasive for the privacy of celebrities, leading to several issues regarding safety. Other celebrities have faced this problem in the past. One other celebrity who has been heavily ridiculed by tabloid media is Britney Spears. During the 2000s, Spears was often chased by paparazzi who were just looking for the next big photo for their tabloid magazines. Reporters went so far as to follow her into private establishments were she tried to shield herself and her children from public view. Her lack of safety and privacy later contributed to a mental breakdown that she suffered in 2008.

Although tabloids can be extremely entertaining and often informative, it is important to note that they are not the most reliable sources of news. Rather than relying on tabloids for news that could be intentionally misleading in order to draw in viewership, official news stations should be consulted for trustworthy information.