There was a time in the past when traditional media was known for their modest and courageous way of newsgathering to aid the public interest. As the time flies, information has become a commodity for the masses, so what is private to you, is a commodity to others.
The world has been facing an upturn in the arena of mass media. We are dwelling in the era of ever-expanding media for the masses, where even the least important news to the “public interest” has been broadcasting to lure the general public. Nowadays people are being infused with a kind of media which has turned out to be just a news trading agency. With intend of news gathering during recent years, media is somewhat heading towards intruding into the lives of celebrities. The difference lies between the openness and privacy, However adherence of public interest should be the main concern of the growing media.
News filtering should be done watchfully as what to and what should not to broadcast for the best of the public interest, undoubtedly interfering into someone’s life would not aid public in any case. This kind of news certainly unfavourably affect the quality and standards of the media and can even destroy the image or goodwill of the celebrities. It would be just half-baked stories engrossed with tempting headlines and cover stories to grab the attention of the viewers or readers at first. At the stake of public interest, media of today is getting into the raceway of publishing or broadcasting the “masala” stripping the secrets of celebrities. Every now and then you can see or hear a number of news that is surely of no interest to the general public, however public is eager to know about the latest gossips of the entertainment industry. But the concern is how far these gossips are morally entitled to be broadcast for the public interest.
You must have come across news related to media intrusion to the extent when celebs even start acting offensively about it. The former British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie were out one day with their kids for a political parade, on the following day they filed a complaint about media intrusion. For the community interest, privacy rights of any public figure must not be put at stake by the media in order to gather news. The invasion of media in private life events of celebrities is offending the privacy rights in an unethical manner. Privacy is the right of each individual so as of celebrities.
There is a huge disparity between to make or fake a news, moral values and ethical responsibilities of print and broadcast media have been overlooked time by time to telecast news content discussing the private affairs of public figures. Very likely there is a demand for even more details about celebrities’ private lives but I would say that we as a general public and the media should respect the fact that everyone does have a personal life so as celebs. Personal events and parties are the source to bring out latest celebrity news no matter it held anywhere in the world. The questions here arise in the subconscious mind of many of us that “Are they paying the cost of being a celeb? “ Is that right in any way?”; “Is it morally acceptable to intrude into anyone’s personal life?” The answer of this quest is simple although hard to comprehend, is the recognition of newsworthiness of any content related to the lives of celebrities.