Celebrities and the news media : a bit too far?
By laylomo
@laylomo (165)
United States
November 15, 2007 12:51am CST
Browsing CNN, I noticed that a large part (way too large for my liking) of "news" is about celebrities.
The one that drove me up the wall was "People Magazine names newest 'sexiest man alive'." How is that news? I don't understand. Does that affect national or global policy? Although I respect Donna West, I don't think we should commit so much time to her funeral. Jan Adams, sure, may be the cause of her death, but once again, it shouldn't take up time in the news. Then there was that whole big deal with Anna Nicole Smith. My condolences, sure, but when Larry King devotes a whole show to her, there's something wrong.And Britney Spears. How does her losing her children make national news?
What do you think about all these celebrity stories taking up national new sources?
5 people like this
8 responses
@lilaclady (28207)
• Australia
15 Nov 07
Yeh I know how you feel, celebrities seem to make the big headlines for doing nothing, its almost like they are the most important things going on in this world and what for, it makes me sick and they aren't even that good.
3 people like this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
15 Nov 07
Unfortunately if CNN only covered what I call the hard news, it's viewership would be so much less.Real news or not, it is the type of stories they have to cover.It is like t.v. is geared to what a 11 year old boy or a 16 year old girl would want to see.
2 people like this
@laylomo (165)
• United States
16 Nov 07
True. Some say that by including more of these "celebrity" news, they expose those who may not be interested to more "hard news". So while they watch for the soft news, they're being exposed to ideas and current events. Machiavellian, I suppose, but I guess it's better than having the public non-informed.
1 person likes this
@sarahruthbeth22 (43143)
• United States
16 Nov 07
That is what so sad about all of this. The person they want to tune in and see all this news, still isn't watching. And there are many like you, people that want to see more hard news.
@arkaf61 (10881)
• Canada
16 Nov 07
LOL I know exactly what you mean. I feel the same way.
However the way I see it, they give to the public what the public wants.( the public in general, not exceptions like us heheheh )
If there wasn't such a demand for that kind of news they would have to find something else of course. But people have this thing about celebrities. They want to know everything about them, what they do, how they do it, how they think...
Many people even try to copy their favorite celebrities. It's strange to me, but it sells, it gets the audience and that's what it takes.
@laylomo (165)
• United States
16 Nov 07
But in giving what the public wants, they create an atmosphere that tells the people: "this is what matters, this is what is important." It's a chicken-or-egg argument, because it's unclear whether the demand or the media is what pushes the celebrities up in ranking. It's a vicious cycle, the way I see it. First, demand. So major networks, like CNN as mentioned before, will add more news. The media sets the expectation and the 'importance' and then demand soars.
Moreover, it's more important, I believe, for MAJOR new stations to report REAL news. I think true and impartial reporting overrides any financial benefit.
Ah, what a strange time we live in.
@shooting_star (384)
• Philippines
15 Nov 07
I agree, there are a lot of news about celebrities. One celebrity that is often in the news lately is Britney Spears.
I guess the media features a lot of celebrity news because they think that people are more interested in things that happen to celebrities, instead of things that happen to regular people. There are people who like to catch up on celebrity stories because if they hear about the bad things that happen to these celebrities, they kind of feel that hey, they're human too and bad things happen to them too.
Then again, I think there are some celebrities who do bad or crazy stuff just to get noticed by the media and "revive" their stagnant careers.
1 person likes this
@Aspen7698 (29)
• United States
16 Dec 07
It's just sickening. In my opinion, celebrity trash is not by any stretch of the imagination news. Same thing with sports coverage. It's about controlling the national "conversation". It's about misdirection. It's about influencing public opinion. What it is not about, is truth.
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
15 Nov 07
It has gotten rather ridiculous, I agree! It's one thing to report these "breaking news" stories but to devote show after show and hour upon hour to them is just plain over-kill! Apparently there's an audience for these stories or they wouldn't be covering them so extensively but give me a break already. The ironic thing is I've heard commentators on all the outlets - local and network newscasts as well as the cable networks - complain about spending so much time on celebrity news but then they go on to discuss Britney's latest blunder or Us Magazine's current headline story at great length. I remember when you got celebrity news from the magazines and tabloids and from shows devoted to Hollywood like Entertainment Tonight!
Annie
@wisedragon (2325)
• Philippines
16 Nov 07
Those are the role models of today's youth: Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears.
In our generation it was Wacko Jacko and "like a virgin" Madonna. LOL
