ABSTRACT
In the light of ’3rd wave feminism’ and postfeminism, this chapter will reconsider what I have previously described as ‘the Page 3 principle,’ a process by which the popular press, and The Sun in particular, have sought to define women by their appearance and sexuality, while, at the same time appealing to Women's pleasure. I have argued that these attitudes are part of a long process of ‘tabloidisation’ and populism across the media, which has political significance. The late twentieth-century move to a political consensus strongly influenced by neoliberal economics implied a redefinition of the working class as consumers and pleasure seekers rather than workers. In the tabloid press the image of a sexualized woman played a particular role in this, seeking to appeal to women as well as men. Against this background, this chapter will look at the contemporary situation. It will pay attention to the imagery and ‘spectacular values’ of television and online media as well as in the popular press, and will trace the roles played by women in the narratives of the news media. It will focus on the complex ways in which the media address their audience/users, and consider the politics of gender in the light of an online culture in which there is easy access to highly sexualized imagery. This will be in the context of contemporary commentators who point to the contradictions and complexities of a resurgent feminism, which ranges from ‘corporate feminism’ to feminist activism, such as the ‘No More Page 3’ campaign. The article will make reference to the structure and ownership of the media, and the conduct of the popular press as revealed by the Leveson inquiry. It will offer a close analysis of relevant examples, while teasing out their wider political significance.
