I think the media pay too much attention to the private lives of famous people. Television, & `& y/ ^3 Q" g6 E; }
newspapers, 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 ; ^" k- @2 ]6 G7 f( |5 U2 m( N
explain 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.
( m: L: W! w$ Y# D) r; b) Y b5 I. K# i( S7 w
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
0 V. l/ b+ p, ?' V0 bthe people involved. We do need to know if someone we’re electing to public office has been $ m8 [7 t/ Q2 w" N
involved in shady business deals, but we don’t need to know if he or she defaulted on a loan 7 [( |# ^/ S5 I. |' c0 z
twenty years ago.
# L# c( H8 J' y0 s5 c- {. [It seems the media dig up these facts without giving thoughtful consideration to what might * N2 G; U8 J/ n2 d- S$ q6 f
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
/ ]7 V* w" v: P% q2 v5 C5 ycourt, paying a lawyer can use up all their money. Even if it doesn’t come to that, they may find their career ruined.
) F# N% @" I4 N( P$ W7 h / @( m( ^# q- G J8 J! C7 E5 w
When are we, the public, going to make it clear to the media that we’re tired of having to watch
8 ]( z k9 _/ w# Gthis kind of thing on the news? Wouldn’t it be better if they would concentrate on more important - Q$ E! [! B$ f: k/ @ G
issues? |