Media

Newspapers and Magazines

The main serious national newspapers in England, known as "broadsheets," are the Times, the Telegraph, the Independent, and the Guardian (the Observer is the Guardian's Sunday paper). Each has a political viewpoint in both its news coverage and its opinion pages. The Times and Telegraph are more conservative, whereas the Independent and Guardian take a more left-wing approach. Tabloids, such as the Sun and the Mirror, present a notably livelier version of the news, with an emphasis on celebrities, sports, and scandal, while the mid-market Daily Mail and Daily Express sit between the broadsheets and the tabloids. They, too, have political agendas: the Sun, the Express, and Daily Mail are all conservative, whereas the Mirror is more centrist.

For detailed information about what's going on in London, pick up a copy—or check the website or app—of Time Out magazine, Metro, the Evening Standard, or the Londonist (www.londonist.com). For countrywide information about shops, restaurants, and art events, take a look at glossy monthly magazines likeTatler, Harpers Bazaar, Vogue, or Wallpaper; the weekend editions of the national newspapers; or regional glossy magazines such as Cheshire Life.

Television

There are five main broadcast television channels: BBC1 and BBC2 from the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC2 is somewhat more eclectic, with a higher proportion of alternative humor, drama, and documentaries), ITV1 (mainstream commercial programming), Channel 4 (a mix of mainstream and off-the-wall programming), and Channel 5 (big on true-crime dramas, animal-related programs, and nonfiction). Cable and satellite channels increase the diet of entertainment.