They deal with their subject matter with reality and sympathy and their characters smell of tar and cordite and cowshit and have dirt under their fingernails

Proves nothing other than that writers did some research.

The "Shoals of Herring" deals with its subject matter with reality and sympathy.

Characters in the 'The Archers' have got cowshit and dirt under their finger nails.

Radio listeners may be a better modern analogy for the target of the broadside writers than the tabloids readers.