I think the media pay too much attention to the private lives of famous people. Television,
5 w: W0 y- m5 a. h. R! T" o; ^1 enewspapers, magazines and web sites dig up all kinds of past bad actions. They say that these are true reflections of a person’s character. This may be true if they occurred only a few years before, but some of these are things people did as teenagers. People in their forties are expected to
( ^. v z: ^3 z) h: V! g& Wexplain something they did when they were fifteen. If they killed someone, obviously that’s more than a youthful mistake. Usually, though, these incidents involve experiments with drugs or being reckless in a car. They’re not something that the public needs to know.
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The media love to say that the public has a right to know. That’s not true. We don’t need to know if a movie star or politician has had an extramarital affair. That is something of concern only to
+ r* p' x B0 L, s5 t- {the people involved. We do need to know if someone we’re electing to public office has been ( D+ x# H/ p8 V- h% h
involved in shady business deals, but we don’t need to know if he or she defaulted on a loan ( r) A( T# m# D7 O2 K& c2 y3 E$ f
twenty years ago.
# ~) y, o3 V9 V9 A" p3 a# yIt seems the media dig up these facts without giving thoughtful consideration to what might - y0 K+ c, _# u" R: A" B2 s
happen. It has an effect on the celebrity’s family, especially the children. A celebrity’s good name and credibility may be ruined before he or she can prove that rumors are false. If a case goes to - _, p: i6 Z% L+ L( K& D( m
court, paying a lawyer can use up all their money. Even if it doesn’t come to that, they may find their career ruined.
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When are we, the public, going to make it clear to the media that we’re tired of having to watch
2 z% f4 j4 @9 z- n' nthis kind of thing on the news? Wouldn’t it be better if they would concentrate on more important 6 ~: U4 z1 V# a# H6 I* x" L
issues? |