> Look at it. Big red banner at the top - just like the British tabloids. Constant twisting of headlines to add as much innuendo as possible.
The fact it follows the same design and editorial patterns as a tabloid doesn't mean it's a parody of a tabloid. A simpler conclusion would be that it looks and reads like a tabloid because it is a tabloid.
It's very common for products in any same category to be designed similarly. For example the packaging on washing detergents, breakfast cereals, and English ales often follow similar patterns because people expect their washing detergents to look like washing detergents, their cereals to look like breakfast cereals, and their beer to look like beer. Granted you do get some products that deliberately choose a non-conventional design in the hope to stand out. But generally items look similar because people expect that of them. And equally, The Register is designed like a "Red Top"[1] because people expect tabloids to look like that.
It's probably also worth noting that most "good" tabloids have a comical tone to them. In fact not taking themselves seriously is pretty much the prime directive for any Red Top. Though some take things to a more ridiculous level than others[2][3]
I think the crux of the argument should be "Are the stories real or made up for comical value?" Since El Reg is actually reporting real stories, I couldn't put it in the same camp as News Thump, The Onion, and the lesser known Suffolk Gazette (http://www.suffolkgazette.com/), which most definitely are parody sites.
> I guess if you are not from the UK it might not be so bleeding obvious, but for us it is. Would I be correct in guessing that you are not?
You'd be incorrect with that assumption. I wouldn't say I had a great degree of national pride, but I would say I'm very British. I drink tea, eat angus steak, drink real ales and single malt scotches, and constantly moan about queues. However I never carry an umbrella around with me. :)
The fact it follows the same design and editorial patterns as a tabloid doesn't mean it's a parody of a tabloid. A simpler conclusion would be that it looks and reads like a tabloid because it is a tabloid.
It's very common for products in any same category to be designed similarly. For example the packaging on washing detergents, breakfast cereals, and English ales often follow similar patterns because people expect their washing detergents to look like washing detergents, their cereals to look like breakfast cereals, and their beer to look like beer. Granted you do get some products that deliberately choose a non-conventional design in the hope to stand out. But generally items look similar because people expect that of them. And equally, The Register is designed like a "Red Top"[1] because people expect tabloids to look like that.
It's probably also worth noting that most "good" tabloids have a comical tone to them. In fact not taking themselves seriously is pretty much the prime directive for any Red Top. Though some take things to a more ridiculous level than others[2][3]
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tabloid_journalism#Red_top
[2] http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/80/590x/secondar...
[3] http://www.anorak.co.uk/wp-content/gallery/sunday-sport/bomb...
I think the crux of the argument should be "Are the stories real or made up for comical value?" Since El Reg is actually reporting real stories, I couldn't put it in the same camp as News Thump, The Onion, and the lesser known Suffolk Gazette (http://www.suffolkgazette.com/), which most definitely are parody sites.
> I guess if you are not from the UK it might not be so bleeding obvious, but for us it is. Would I be correct in guessing that you are not?
You'd be incorrect with that assumption. I wouldn't say I had a great degree of national pride, but I would say I'm very British. I drink tea, eat angus steak, drink real ales and single malt scotches, and constantly moan about queues. However I never carry an umbrella around with me. :)