Recently, celebrities had the opportunity to reveal the ordeal they regularly endure from the tabloid and the paparazzi.
The occasion was Britain’s media ethics inquiry into alleged tapping of celebrities’ phones by a branch of Rupert Murdoch’s media conglomerate. Celebrities like actress Sienna Miller, actor Hugh Grant, pop writer Jk Rowlings, and other public figures, told wrenching stories of violation of privacy that left them constantly feeling paranoid and anxious.
It is not news that the tabloid concentrates on sensational and sordid news. The question is whether the tabloid is real journalism. Is it journalism to exclusively dig for trashy and damaging information?
Journalism was viewed as a distinctly important profession that has critical role to play in the society. That is why the media was imbued with nobility and immunity, and put on a shining pedestal as the ‘Fourth estate of Government,’ free and independent. From this sacred and high perch, it was hoped that the media would peer, with extensive and moral view into the society, to sift out the truth, expose corruption and eliminate evil.
Unfortunately, the media has also become evil. To make matters worse, the tabloid takes for itself the empowering immunity that protects responsible journalism. Under this immunity, the tabloid brazenly steps beyond the bounds of decency to get damaging information about celebrities. The usual practice of the tabloid is to falsely stereotype a celebrity with a vice or character flaw, and then manufacture evidence to make the stereotype fit the celebrity. Like birds of prey, the paparazzi, the camera totting agents of the tabloid, would stalk a celebrity, to capture an unflattering facial expression or awkward body posture. Then the tabloid will publish the photos with flaming caption. A trivial matter has become an earth-shattering scandal!
The tabloid has seemingly spread over the main stream. Now, most media focus on trivial aspects of life. Not too long ago, the tabloid and mainstream media were locked in a bidding war for the prison story of Paris Hilton, a vacuous socialite whose talent is hard partying.
Still, some people defend the right of the tabloid to publish trash. Defenders of the tabloid argue that ‘celebrity sells’, that the masses are entertained by the follies of the rich and famous, so the tabloid is merely exploiting a lucrative market in a free enterprise system; it is not the fault of the tabloid that the masses have insatiable appetite for trash. Another person points out that the limelight shines in two ways: positive and negative, both of which will shine on anyone who chose a path that thrust them in the spotlight; a deer that willingly walks the highway at night should not complain about headlights.
Indeed, the price of limelight is well documented. Princess Diana of Wales died in a fiery accident when her drunken driver crashed in a tunnel as they tried to evade the paparazzi. Oprah Winfrey broke down and cried as she tried to counter a persistent and virulent tabloid rumor about her personal life. Brad Pitt bemoaned the harassment that he, Angelina Jolie, and their children regularly endure from the paparazzi, “they have put a bounty on our heads,” he lamented.
Clearly, it is not easy being in the limelight. Yet, some people want fame in the worst way.