Who even buys The Sun in 2023?

[Brrrrrrrrrrrr]

In light of the current situation and given The Suns track record of generally being a terrible newspaper with diabolical unscrupulous form to manipulate stories, I am curious to know who actually buys it and reads it?

It’s a genuine question because what is bothering me is the disturbing thought that there are people who read The Sun and actually believe what it publishes or even thinks it’s ok to publish it in the first place. Anyone who buys it is essentially saying they are ok with the methodology and lengths The Suns journalists go to in order to get a front page story and I’m wondering what it is they get from absorbing that kind of bad energy every day?

That the Nation and the press were so distracted by this story whilst other far more newsworthy issues were being ignored or lightly reported on is in itself mind boggling and frightening, they literally created a storm out of very little and scores of people were drawn in like it was a cliff hanger from Line of Duty.

Surely it’s time all the major retailers reconsidered selling it, what good does it actually bring to society? I agree there’s the freedom of speech aspect and this is my opinion but the tactics they employ to manipulate and cause divide amongst people are truly despicable and outdated, is it just ok and accepted to be this low?

Loads of people buy The Sun because their holiday vouchers are the only way lots of families can afford a holiday

The sun is poisonous, but not as bad as the daily mail. I assume most sun readers are neanderthals who don't bother voting so overall it shouldn't make much of a difference what crap they print. The daily mail on the other hand, seems to appeal to a really nasty subset of actual voters who think asylum seekers should be sent to Rwanda, women should still be chained to the kitchen sink and Johnson is a stand up guy.

completely agree - its not a "newspaper" its a comic, with a reading age, I believe of a primary school child. It can't do nuance or detail because the readership wouldn't be interested. Having said that, I have no objection to its' existance as such, each to their own, but I DO object to the fact that it creates "news" out of non stories, exaggerations, lies and "scandals" and encourages people to vote on the basis of such and unlike the broadsheets, (and I know I'll get flamed for this) the readership of the Sun are less likely to be aware they are being fed a load of crap. I 100% know that a lot of what I read is likely to be wide of the mark and take account of that, look for alternate views etc, but if you take what you're given at face value with no critical thinking, and vote on that basis, its puts us in a woeful position.

Loads of people buy the daily Mail as well - an equally vile rag, and believe it! They are easy, lazy reading which don’t require too much mental effort. The reading age required is around 8/9. People just enjoy the the juicy, gossipy type stories I suppose. Most people’s lives are boring and most people don’t appear to possess the critical thinking skills to recognise flaws in a narrative, hence the state the country is in in general.

Sun holidays being a get out of jail card is pretty depressing, I totally understand those who use the vouchers as it’s the only way to holiday for many. How on Earth can they have a monopoly on cheap UK breaks, basically bribing millions of people to turn a blind eye to their malicious reporting style in order to get a holiday is like a Black Mirror plot.

I’m in full agreement about the Daily Mail too, it’s pretty grim when you stop and think people actually believe that stuff and they PAY for the privilege. Madness

Idiots buy the sun and always have done it appeals to the hard of thinking

It's not a get out of jail card. It's true. I've never bought The Sun but you're right that it's a sad state of affairs.

What did the posters and readers on here get out of their mindless speculation that went on for days. A lot of ill informed opinion wrapped as fact to form even more daft opinions and advance personal agendas. It had all the hallmarks of shit journalism. Fake concern for a victim they are exploiting, a handy scapegoat for all the ills of society, demands for action that would prejudice any case and a rush to judgement.

The sun knows their audience and how to get them going.

The sun sold approx 1.2milliion copies in 2020, but they no longer release circulation figures. As all print media circulation is dropping the Sun print readership is probably around the 1 million mark.

Apparently the sun is designed to appeal to the percentage of people with a low reading age.also probably a few just skim through. The mail is vilified but seems to have A high percentage of the market! 8

I was quite suprised at the amount of speculation on here, and the Huw threads afterwards. I thought MN was slightly more cerebral overall. I didn't realise there were so many on here that actually care about non issues like this. Pretty depressing really.

I think you are underestimating the requirement for the British public to have the opportunity to turn into a baying mob on at least a monthly basis. It doesn't require the Sun really. MumsNet can do a great job of it all on their own, without any help. But on the plus side you get adverts for Temu....

It's one of the most popular papers - highest circulation on Sundays and only beaten by the free Metro for daily sales (according to Press Gazette).

Horrible publication. Appeals to the reactionary mentality which is immediately triggered by the idea that someone is a 'scrounger' or 'free loader' or isn't a flag waving patriot.

Depressing indeed.

Lots of people read the Sun and Mail sadly. I work in retail and noticed the Mail do lots of 'win your mortgage/utility bills paid for a year' competitions rather than addressing why people can't pay their bills.

I can't remember the last time I bought a newspaper

Go into your local big supermarket one weekend and spend a few minutes by the newspaper stand - you’ll see. Miserable curmudgeons is the answer. The kind of people who think the world has gone to pot, not realising they and their voting habits (driven by these rags) are literally the problem.

You could add the Daily Telegraph as equally vile, I had a 6 month subscription but cancelled due to awful stories.

Not in this city it isn’t. It’s not sold in most newsagents and I get a real jolt when I see it on sale in other cities, train stations etc.

One of many reasons to live in Liverpool.

If my PILs were still alive then they would still buy it religiously.

Lots of smug virtue signalling being displayed on this thread. Do you not consider the The Guardian, which is more insidious, is just as bad? We have a relatively free press in this country and people are at liberty to read what they choose without judgement from the superior brigade. Would you prefer that rich people in positions of influence are free to exploit vulnerable people without fear of exposure? Who then promptly blame years of piss poor behaviour on "mental health issues", thereby insulting all those who manage to behave decently despite not being famous multi millionaires

Ther average reading age of a UK adult is 9 years old. The Sun writes in this way so the average UK adult can access it.

( So does the government. )

Using simple English in a broadcast news medium is good, actually.

It’s the most popular paper on the estate where I live. Mostly working class people with (at most) secondary education. I regularly hear the front pages being discussed as fact, usually by not very bright people, when I’m in the local shops. Unless you’ve been educated to question what the media is telling you, and most people haven’t, then you’re going to take it at face value.

@Maray1967 I think the Hillsborough tragedy and the Sun’s disgusting reporting of it means that Liverpool actively boycotts The Sun. I seem to remember there were a lot of Facebook petitions and groups encouraging Liverpudlians to denounce it. Hopefully that has spread throughout the city.