Street credible socialbility/ a shared joke

Posted by Celia on July 29, 2003

Hi,

I don't quite understand the phrase and sentences in brackets. Could anyone give me a hand?

Important aspects of the Sun's popular appeal identified by this group of interviewees evidently include its humour, ['street credible' sociability] and simplifying common sense. As Pursehouse observes: "It gains credibility, almost becomes friends with readers, through appearing to 'talk the same language.'' [The basis of this 'friendship', he argues, is on the grounds of 'a shared joke', although much of what counts as the Sun's 'fun persona' is gender-specific in that the tabloid typically position itself as 'one of the lads.' ]

Thanks a lot.