Founded in 1896, the Mail was originally a newspaper aimed at women. It wasn’t until the 1920s that it began to target a wider readership, and by the 1930s, it was one of the biggest papers in the UK. The Mail’s focus on human interest stories, combined with its extensive coverage of news and entertainment, meant that it quickly became a staple of many households.
In more recent years, the Daily Mail has been closely associated with conservative politics. The paper has supported the Conservative Party in every general election since 1945, and it is known for its right-wing editorial stance. Some have accused the Mail of promoting a narrow and misleading view of the world, which favours the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary people.
Despite these criticisms, the Daily Mail remains one of the most read newspapers in the UK. Its websites, Mail Online and Metro, are hugely popular across the world, with millions of visitors every day. This is thanks in part to its extensive coverage of news, sport, entertainment and celebrity gossip, which cater to a broad variety of interests.
One of the reasons for the Mail’s popularity is its ability to tap into the public’s fascination with celebrities. The Mail’s Showbiz section is one of the most read parts of the paper, and it regularly features exclusive interviews and photoshoots with the world’s most famous stars. This coverage often focuses on the personal lives of these celebrities, so readers can feel as though they are getting an insider’s glimpse into their world.
The Daily Mail also has a strong reputation for investigative journalism. The paper’s journalists have uncovered major scandals and breaking news stories in the UK and beyond. The Mail’s investigations into alleged phone-hacking by the News of the World, for instance, ultimately led to the downfall of that paper and a wider inquiry into press ethics.
However, the Daily Mail’s commitment to investigative journalism has also landed it in hot water. In 2017, the paper was forced to pay out £150,000 in damages to a teacher who had been falsely accused of having a relationship with a teenage pupil. The Mail had published a series of articles about the teacher, which were found to be defamatory and untrue.
The Daily Mail is a newspaper that divides opinion. Some readers love it for its extensive news and celebrity coverage, while others condemn it for what they see as its sensationalist and misleading reporting. Nevertheless, its huge circulation figures and global online presence demonstrate that the Mail remains a hugely important part of the UK’s media landscape, for better or for worse.