Tabloid From Hell(4th Edition): The Rise & Fall of a Beloved Newspaper

"Love us. Hate us. Read us."That was the slogan of The Trentonian, the scrappy underdog tabloid newspaper from Trenton, N.J.The newspaper combined a mix of hard-hitting news, steamy sex stories and solid sports to produce massive sales in competitive market.The paper represented the heart and soul of the city.It was truly "No. 1 in the hearts of the people."In 1998, The Trentonian took a tragic turn -- a turn in which the paper likely will never recover.It ditched its core readers. It turned its back on Trenton.TABLOID FROM HELL chronicles the rise and fall of a beloved newspaper. It details how a once relevant newspaper turned irrelevant. How a newspaper everybody talked about transformed into a dull, lifeless and awkward product on the decline.The Trentonian lost its voice.So did its readers.

MICHAEL RAFFAELE, a 14-year newspaper industry veteran, served as editor ofThe Trentonian (Trenton, N.J.) and The Lebanon (Pa.) Daily News. He also worked for The Philadelphia Daily News, New York Post and The Times Herald-Record in Middletown, N.Y. He also is the author of IRON EDITOR: How to Save Newspapers From Advocacy Journalism. He lives in central Pennsylvania with his wife, Martha.