Tabloid: Size, History, Advantages, Uses

A tabloid is a type of printed newspaper, in a format with smaller dimensions than traditionally known, containing inside illustrations, photographs, images and other graphic content.

Currently the tabloid has a lot to do with the tabloid press. However, considering it only as a format, it is used by various publishers for evening newspapers in general, but also of other natures.

What is the size of a tabloid?

The size of a tabloid is 432 x 279 mm or 43.2 x 27.9 cm.

In the image below you can see the difference between a large sheet newspaper (the one above), which has an approximate size of 600 × 380 mm, and the tabloid (the one below).

As will be explained later, the tabloid format is more practical; It allows its transfer in a simpler way, a more comfortable reading and makes delivery easier from its printing to the place of sale.

Why is the tabloid format used?

The tabloid format is used because it is more practical for reading. Other formats are larger: large-sheet prints (600 x 380 mm) or the Berlin format (470 × 315 mm).

Some large circulation newspapers that use the tabloid size are The Journey , from Mexico; Clarín, from Argentina; The latest news , From Chile; Bild-Zeitung , from Germany; ABC, from Spain, or El Espectador, from Colombia.

Advantages of the tabloid format

• Short paging at low cost, which makes it attractive for printers.
• Practicality and convenience of use for readers.
• It requires less reading time than conventional formats.
• It usually comes in the company of photographs or big headlines.
• It is a modern and very popular format.
• Greater visibility of advertising for the reader.

• Employing the tabloid format not only avoids wasting paper, but helps to take advantage of a larger printable area, project print sizes, calculate and give the user comfort when taking and reading printed material.

Tabloid tabloids

There are newspapers, magazines and sensational publications that use the tabloid size, in fact it is a distinctive feature for which they are known. In the image below you can see a tabloid tabloid publication.

The term tabloid is also used to refer to sensationalist publications or that do not give importance to the quality of their informative references. This is because the story of the first sensationalist newspapers began to be published in the tabloid size.

Currently there newspapers sensationalists who use the tabloid format or other formats. As mentioned in the previous section, Known newspapers and considered serious they also use the tabloid.

The Sun newspaper in the United Kingdom uses a tabloid size and is considered sensationalist. You can see its size in the image above, compared with the large formats of other newspapers.

How to identify a tabloid tabloid?

The following characteristics can be observed:

- Their news focuses on famous people, athletes, rich people, celebrities and royalty.

-The topics discussed revolve around gossip or possible scandals.

-Many colors on the pages and little uniformity.

- Very large photographs that tend to attract attention. They can be deceiving.

History of the tabloid

Tabloid is a word derived from a pharmaceutical company that made a drug in the form of a pill known as Tabloid in the 1880s. Years ago, this medicine had to be taken in the form of powder, making it difficult for the patient to eat and making it really uncomfortable.

The word tabloid began to be used in objects that after being transformed or simplified, were much more comfortable to use. For example, newspapers with tabloid format, which were not only easier to read, but also to carry and pay.

References

• Wikipedia (2018) Tabloid. Retrieved from wikipedia.org
• Tabloid. Recovered from ecured.cu
• Barba, Rodrigo (2017) Is there a tabloid size? Recovered from blog.tuning.marketing
• Saucedo, Juan Carlos (2013) What is a tabloid? Recuperado de curso-disenografico.blogspot.com.es
• All Size Paper. Tabloid Paper size. Retrieved from all-size-paper.com