Understanding the British press

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From The Atlantic:

At about the same size as Minnesota, and with a developed infrastructure that makes transportation and delivery simple and affordable, Great Britain is home to many national newspapers -- something that most Americans, who are used to supplementing their national papers with local reporting, find unusual. But that's not the only thing that's different about the British press. For the majority of media outlets based in Great Britain, where the most popular newspapers are The Sun and The Daily Mirror, both mass-market tabloids (and bitter rivals), political affiliation is displayed proudly and editorial standards are lax.

In addition to the mass-market tabloids (found at the bottom of the graphic displayed above), there are mid-market tabloids and quality broadsheets. The mid-market tabloids are less sensational, have smaller audiences and primarily cater to affluent women. The quality broadsheets, named for the large-format paper they were once printed on, are the most recognized overseas -- or, they were before the News of the World scandal. Perhaps it was time, though, for the world to take a closer look at Great Britain's tabloids: While the quality broadsheets are often considered to be the most influential, the tabloids sell up to four times as many copies.

More at the link.