Although observers often accuse Africa’s tabloid newspapers of compromising on journalistic standards and depoliticizing readers, few have attempted to formulate theories on the reasons for tabloids’ rapid growth and popularity. This paper argues that tabloids can play an important journalistic and cultural role. It draws on qualitative research featuring content analyses and in-depth interviews conducted in the Ndebele vernacular with uMthunyway readers living in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. In particular, the research shows that tabloids provide a public sphere or an alternative voice for their politically and economically marginalized readers, covering issues related to these citizens’ social, political and economic realities.