Celebrity Obsession
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Media and its love of sensationalism is well known. Celebrities sell papers, as we are told repeatedly. But this week, British media took this statement to new levels.
The past week, parts of England have been buffeted by high winds and heavy rains and quite a lot of people have lost their homes, property and some, even their lives. When GMTV was reporting this dismal state of affairs in the Midlands, they cut short the report rather rudely to LA, where jailbird Paris Hilton was sprung early from the clink, thanks to good behavior. This, of course, made the good people of Britain splutter into their morning cuppa and lodge complaints against this behaviour in great numbers. The programme issued an apology in this morning's episode.
Radio station heart (106.2 FM) pulled a similar stunt yesterday as well. The news report ran somewhat like this '... today's top news: socialite Paris Hilton is freed from jail. Oh and by the way, three people lost their lives in Sheffield'. Outraged squawks could be heard across the South East.
Whilst I agree that no one wants to shell out good money to read everyday stories of your Average Joe, I still think the media should display a little more empathy and a little less TRP love. The flooding is going on in our own backyard, fellow Brits are suffering and why are we bothered about a spoiled brat of a rich American kid and when she's let out of the slammer ?
Posted by DesiGirl 7:24 pm
Labels: floods in UK, media
The drive for more TRPs is greater than anything else. Be it, showcasing Babas daily on India TV, or any news remotely related to titillation, sensationalism or voyeurism.
Celebrity obsession is a full time occupation here. I wasn't taking a random example with Paris Hilton - fact! It happened the way I've said!!
I think all of you have seen the movie 'Page 3' and it happens everywhere in the world....