Tales of discord and feuds prop up every gossip magazine, regardless of whether they are eventually refuted by the subjects.
Jennifer Aniston knows all too well that after phantom pregnancies and non-existent divorces, tabloids love constructing rivalries between couples and their associates - even those who have never met.
Chrissy Teigen often finds her name littered among the pages of gossip magazines, but one story involving her and fellow Sports Illustrated model Kate Upton caught her attention this week.
This particular story detailed a dislike between their partners, forgetting just one minor detail: each spouse has yet to meet.
Upton’s fiancé Justin Verlander was relieved Teigen had taken the time to dismiss the article, replying: “I was worried someone I haven't met yet hated me.”
Stories revolving around the rich, famous and their relationships are serious moneymakers for tabloids, earning some of the most popular weeklies up to $2 million for an ‘exclusive’ cover. Wynter Mitchell (@wyntermitchell) “Pop Rocket” host, digital consultant and former entertainment editor for US Weekly, told the Independent tabloid revenues have the potential to soar if they can really engage a reader with a narrative.
“The money only comes in when the reader is invested in what you’re sharing,” she explained. “At US Weekly, we were consistently on the money - same with People. With others, sometimes it’s an educated guess or a gathering of small facts and key observations that create a cohesive tale. Either way, it's betting on the appetite of the public. For instance, suggesting that Kim Kardashian and Kanye West were having problems for months after Saint’s birth is a good way to keep a reader engaged and the story in the news. Whether or not they truly were having marital woes, it’s still fascinating for fans to know what’s happening in their lives and follow it week to week. They’re still aspirational figures, love or loathe them; they make for awesome reading whether it's true or just an illusion.”
