Punk and the media : how British media contributed to the rise and fall of punk from 1976 to 1979

Abstract

This dissertation studies how the media in England reacted to the rise of the Punk movement. It illustrates how the movement developed from America to its adaptation in England. The dissertation delves into how the media, especially the tabloids filtered the ideals of Punk to the people, and was, indirectly the cause of its meteoric rise and fall and just a sudden fall. In order to corroborate findings from the literature a comprehensive sampling of articles, on Punk, from the Daily Mirror newspaper, representing the Tabloids of the years under examination is examined, in terms of title of articles, positions of them and the connected visuals used. Conclusions drawn from this study indicate that the media, especially the tabloids helped the British Punk movement to disintegrate. After having been used extensively by the tabloids, emphasising negative aspects of what, as a consequence, became a misunderstood rebel movement.