Brits Retool National Enquirer Tabloid in NY

U.S. National - Reuters
Reuters
Brits Retool National Enquirer Tabloid in NY

Tue Apr 5,12:47 PM ET


By Claudia Parsons

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The racy National Enquirer is relaunching with a crack team of British tabloid reporters who are promising to "go for the jugular" -- though the editor insists they won't be making up stories.



With its reputation in the toilet after a string of libel suits and circulation falling, the magazine's newly appointed editor Paul Field promises less soft celebrity gossip, more national crime stories, pieces about "ordinary people doing extraordinary things" and health features crossing over into women's magazine territory.

And rather than trying to compete with more upmarket titles who take the "official story," the British reporters will "go for the jugular," Field said.

"There are certain stories that your rivals simply won't touch," he added, promising no such scruples.

The paper has attracted a string of libel suits over the years, most famously from actress Carol Burnett who won a suit over a story insinuating she was drunk in a restaurant.

In its heyday, the scandal sheet boasted more than 5 million readers with its blend of gory crime stories and salacious celebrity exposes. But circulation fell to under 1.5 million by the end of 2004 with growing competition from celebrity titles such as "People," "In Touch" and "US Weekly."

The solution that publisher American Media is betting on is a complete revamp, moving the paper's headquarters from Florida to New York and hiring the tabloid reporters to refocus the paper after more than half a century in print.

"British tabloid journalists do have a formidable reputation," said Field, a 33-year-old from The Sun who has recruited more than 20 of his compatriots.

JUICY DETAILS

"Tabloid reporters in the UK do fear returning to the office without a story," he said, promising more pieces about colorful crimes and juicy exclusives about celebrities caught in compromising situations in the new edition that hits the news stands on Wednesday, expanded from 60 pages to 72.

Big names lured from across the pond include Paul Henderson, a former investigations editor for The Mail on Sunday, and Steve Dennis, who wrote extensively about Princess Diana for The Daily Mirror. Diana's one-time astrologer, Debbie Frank, will be the paper's astrologer.

The paper's reputation for credibility is among the worst in the business -- in the 1997 film "Men In Black" a secret agent tracking aliens got tips from the National Enquirer.

Field insisted the Enquirer would not descend to stories about "alien babies or UFOs crashing into the White House."

And though the paper offers money for celebrity tips, every story will require at least two independent, credible sources, he said.

"We can be very aggressive on stories and we can quite happily upset celebrities ... but none of it is made up," said Field. "The requirements for publishing a story are much greater than they would be in the UK."

A new challenge for this Englishman in New York is to avoid offending conservative readers who don't want "obscenity" on the cover of a magazine sold at the supermarket checkout.

"In the UK ... you wouldn't flinch from putting the word hooker on the front page," Field said.