General Discussion

Tommy Carcetti

(43,198 posts) Tue Apr 23, 2024, 08:08 PM Apr 23

153

The thing to understand about the National Enquirer...

…is you didn’t have to buy it to read it.

You didn’t even have to consider buying it to read it.

All you had to do was stand in the grocery store checkout aisle and there it was, with pictures and big headlines promising huge exclusive stories.

So even if you were just standing there, the chances it might subliminally affect you are notable.

Hillary Clinton, a crook?

Hillary Clinton, deathly ill?

Donald Trump, the victim of a set up?

All of these things could be communicated without even an actual word being said.

And given the margin in the swing states in 2016, the subliminal impact of tabloid headlines on possible voters was much more substantial than you or I might want to admit.

ON EDIT: What Trump sought to use the Enquirer for as free advertising and disinformation was the same as what the Russians did for him with social media. Two different types of media but same intended result.

50 replies

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The thing to understand about the National Enquirer... (Original Post) Tommy Carcetti Apr 23 OP

Gotta wonder what the rise of self checkout did to their business? n/t CincyDem Apr 23 #1

That's the best thing about self checkout..LOL LeftInTX Apr 23 #7

That was a very good point - the Enquirer is the thing you had to see at the checkout. forgotmylogin Apr 24 #41

I've noticed that too. It seems to have gone back to People and Time etc where I live. LeftInTX Apr 24 #48

But no more UFO stories of rural people being experimented on by aliens? Ah! The good ole days. Wonder Why Apr 23 #2

What happened to Nessie anyways? n/t ArkansasDemocrat1 Apr 23 #18

and no more Elvis sightings either DBoon Apr 23 #30

The National Enquirer was a gossip tabloid involving real people. Tommy Carcetti Apr 24 #33

Only people in their radical right mind believe the Enquirer. Wonder Why Apr 24 #38

HEY! Bat Boy was a totally real thing! Ligyron Apr 24 #42

I honestly think claudette Apr 23 #3

Agreed nikatnyte Apr 23 #19

The magazine exists to take advantage of people who do not examine the sources too closely, who are easily manipulated Ford_Prefect Apr 23 #20

Are you referring to celebrity gossip tabloids like the National Enquirer? Tommy Carcetti Apr 24 #35

one suspects people who look at that rag have already made up their minds on most issues nt msongs Apr 23 #4

Not necessarily Tommy Carcetti Apr 23 #8

That was a strong intent. LiberalFighter Apr 23 #5

A sad fact, well exposed. OAITW r.2.0 Apr 23 #6

For what it's worth, one of so-called legal experts on tv said defense will show N Enquirer Silent Type Apr 23 #9

I always thought there was this percentage of people CanonRay Apr 23 #10

TFG had his own "fake news" outlet. Sneederbunk Apr 23 #11

Those stories also make their way into the msm as they feel they need to cover it or respond to it. unblock Apr 23 #12

Batboy. Igel Apr 23 #13

To be honest gay texan Apr 23 #27

Batboy is alive and real in Florida! Blue Owl Apr 24 #32

This: "What Trump sought to use the Enquirer for as free advertising and disinformation was the same as what the Martin68 Apr 23 #14

When I was in college back in the 1960s HUAJIAO Apr 23 #15

I'm always surprised by the number of people... surfered Apr 23 #16

Bingo TC DENVERPOPS Apr 23 #17

I turned against the Nation Enquirer when they plastered pictures of Princess Diana's death scene...Horrible CarolinaNC Apr 23 #21

I miss Weekly World News at the checkout... catbyte Apr 23 #22

Love me some Bat Boy....LOL diverdownjt Apr 23 #24

Last I heard he's trying to attack Medicare and Social Security Blue Owl Apr 24 #31

Bat Boy looks like Rudy Giuliani as a child. nt PufPuf23 Apr 24 #44

Nailed it orangecrush Apr 23 #23

Aliens!! The #1 topic WarGamer Apr 23 #25

The National Enquirer is a celebrity gossip tabloid involving stories about real people. Tommy Carcetti Apr 24 #34

always worth a laugh in line at the store WarGamer Apr 24 #36

Great take TC. NoMoreRepugs Apr 23 #26

I don't think the NI is much like if was in the old days. captain queeg Apr 23 #28

Seth Abramson points to Saudi funding of the catch-and-kill stories. summer_in_TX Apr 23 #29

Republican OWNED Media is a "thing". live love laugh Apr 24 #37

My mother-in-law moniss Apr 24 #39

The cover in the check out line is what most people saw. It was always worth a chuckle. twodogsbarking Apr 24 #40

It was always about Hillary's health. It was like having Fox News piped into the grocery store. LeftInTX Apr 24 #49

The eyes see, the mind registers, the mindless believe sanatanadharma Apr 24 #43

Every time Always Blue Apr 24 #45

Once I got used to doing my own shopping as an adult, NanaCat Apr 24 #46

Propaganda can be very subtle. Liberal In Texas Apr 24 #47

the National Enquirer is trump mountain grammy Apr 24 #50

CincyDem

(6,386 posts)

1. Gotta wonder what the rise of self checkout did to their business? n/t