This thesis examines the role of New Zealand Truth within interwar society. It seeks to identify the audience, market niche, and style of the paper. Its essential concern is with using theoretical models to inform a discussion on the ideas and values expressed in the paper, especially those of moderation, exploitation, excess, and immorality. What it attempts to show is that, although, Truth was a newspaper which depended on deviance for much of its news, it was deeply concerned, and alarmed, at the extent of breeches of mores and laws. However, the thesis will also show that Truth was more than a "scandal rag": it was very much a sports paper as well.