red top

See also: redtop and red-top

English

Tabloid advertising in Edinburgh

Alternative forms

red-top

Etymology

The titles of these newspapers are traditionally presented on a red banner at the top of the front page.

Noun

red top (plural red tops)

1. (UK, Ireland, journalism) A tabloid newspaper, particularly one of those considered to have lower journalistic standards than the broadsheets.
   • 1997 August 13, Brian Macarthur, “Diana: mover and shaker”, in The Times:

     Just as broadsheets only exceptionally outsell any of the tabloids, so middle-market tabloids—the Mail and Express—only rarely outsell the red tops (although the upmarket Sunday Times outsells the mid-market Express on Sunday and The Mail on Sunday outsells The People).

   • 2010, Sharon Marshall, Tabloid Girl‎^[1], Hachette UK, →ISBN:

     Tabloids have their own language. Maybe it's because the pages are smaller than the broadsheet papers, or perhaps it's because they have to make room to fit all those pictures of Jordan in her knickers in each day, but tabloidese is a language and a skill peculiar to the red tops.

See also

• black top

Anagrams

• de trop, deport, ported, troped