Pop journalism

Hans Traxler: Ich-Memorial (‚Ich' — German for I), Frankfurt am Main

Pop journalism (German: Popjournalismus) is a form of journalism, that appeared under the influence of the American New Journalism in the mid-60s in Germany and coined the writing right down to the literature.[1][2][3] This was most evident in Jörg Fauser’s writing.

Definition

It is defined as follows: "pop journalism: an art of entertainment — without that invisible line, separating entertainment and arts so often from each other."[4] Neutert not only praised the onomatopoetic "bombshell" of the little word pop,[5] but also the term’s inherent "meaning variety, non-normativity, openness."[6][7]

Characteristics

Truman Capote, one of German's models

It is a hybrid genre, interlinking journalistic and literary approaches, characterized by using a first-person narrative. Its style is more literary than journalistic, emphasizing "trust" over strict "facts," and subjectivity instead of objectivity, aesthetic pleasure instead of sobriety. Pop journalists are not disinterested observers, but immerse themselves; they are an integral part of their reports.[8]

Exponents

Natias Neutert und Helmut Salzinger, two of the three earliest pop journalists
Diedrich Diederichsen, exponent of the 'SPEX-era'

Following American formal models and blending them with the rich history of German literature, the very first exponents of pop journalism were Uwe Nettelbeck, Natias Neutert, and Helmut Salzinger, all living in or near Hamburg.[9] They first wrote for Die Zeit, then for different newspapers and magazines including the Süddeutsche Zeitung, the Frankfurter Rundschau, Twen, and Sounds.[10] Their unusual articles provided a good basis for the subsequent exponents of pop journalism such as Clara Drechsler, Diedrich Diederichsen, and Jutta Koether, published in Spex (magazine).[11] In one way or another, all these writers influenced the phenomenon of pop literature. Telling examples are the bestseller Faserland by Christian Kracht.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Cf. Kerstin Gleba/Eckhard Schumacher (Ed.): Pop seit 1964. Kiepenheuer & Witsch, Köln 2007, p. 398.
  2. ↑ Cf. Frank Degler/Ute Paulokat: "Neue Deutsche Popliteratur". UTB 3026, Wilhelm Fink Verlag, Paderborn 2008 ISBN 978-3-8252-3026-5
  3. ↑ Jörgen Schäfer: "Neue Mitteilungen aus der Wirklichkeit. Zum Verhältnis von Pop und Literatur in Deutschland seit 1968". In: Heinz-Ludwig Arnold/Jörgen Schäfer (Ed.): Popliteratur Edition Text + Kritik. Sonderband X, München 2003, S. 14.
  4. ↑ Natias Neutert: Adorno ist tot (Adorno is dead). Pozzo Press, Hamburg 1971, p 23
  5. ↑ Cf. https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/pop
  6. ↑ Natias Neutert: Adorno ist tot (Adorno is dead). Pozzo Press, Hamburg 1971, p 23.
  7. ↑ Cf. Colin Sparks: Popular Journalism: Theories and practise, in: Peter Dahlgren/Colin Sparks (Ed.): Journalism and Popular Culture . Sage Publications, London 1992, p. 24, 25.
  8. ↑ Cf. Dennis Chase: From Lippmann to Irving to New Journalism. In: «Quill», August 1972, S. 19-21.
  9. ↑ Cf. zeit.de, zeit.de, zeit.de
  10. ↑ Cf. Jürgen Legath (Ed.): Sounds – Platten 66-77. 1827 critics; Frankfurt/Main 1979.
  11. ↑ Collected in an anthology, cf. Max Dax/Anne Waak: Spex. Das Buch. 33 1/3 Jahre Pop. AV - Die Anderen Verlage. Uelvesbüll 2013, ISBN 978-3-8493-0033-3
  12. ↑ Cf. Frank Finlay: "Dann wäre Deutschland wie das Wort Neckarauen": Surface, Superficiality and Globalisation in Christian Kracht's Faserland, in: Stuart Taberner (Ed.): "German Literature in the Age of Globalisation". University of Birmingham Press, Birmingham 2004, pp. 189–208.

Further reading

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