Clickbait works, but tabloids weren't shaping elections. Newspapers would use attention-grabbing headlines and cover photographs, but ultimately subscription w

Clickbait works, but tabloids weren't shaping elections. Newspapers would use attention-grabbing headlines and cover photographs, but ultimately subscription would require people to make a decision about whether or not they gained recurring value from receiving the publication. Technological fatalism in this area undervalues history. This exact battle between sensationalism and quality is not a historical novelty. Tabloids were not out-competing the NYT. A more nuanced view shows that current trends aren't predestined, or even distribution medium specific.