Without the combination of power and glamor, the market in images of public figures (celebrities & royals) would have not have been as lucrative as it was back then (before digital era). The powerless, unharnessed European monarchies are surely evidence that without political power, the fairy tale disappears, leaving those families in relative peace.
The press has been cast as a baddie often when it comes to royals and celebrities, especially the British Royal Family.
Why does media continue to print gossip? Because it sells. Every single person who has chosen to read the media’s intrusive, titillating, voyeuristic accounts of Prince Harry’s phone hacking (the Mirror finally apologized, a little too late, isn’t it? Oh well, at least they apologized), or when the paparazzi told me at the China white after party, 25 July 2004 (Cartier International Polo) that it is his right to take photos of Prince Harry as he is a public figure. I told the paparazzi guy that Harry is enjoying himself and to leave him alone.
That was the party Harry flipped the bird. I was standing next to the paparazzi jerk as he took photos. In fact later that evening, paparazzi snapped a photo of me dancing with Harry, that photo was in some tabloids. Thankfully it was the back of me and the story was literally 1-3 seconds dance, he was trying to make me laugh because I was crying. I will not go into details due to respect for the people involved but at the time, that dance made me smile. Not because he was Prince Harry but because he was kind to me. Again details of things I will not publicly say because those involved had apologized later on and all was forgiven.
Changing subjects did Trump sexually assault E. Jean Carroll ? Well, the juryfound Trump did not rape Carroll, but found her liable for sexual abuse. I, myself am a victim of sexual assault by someone who is a known person. I learned to let it go and move on.
With Miss. Carroll, why didn’t she make a police report? Wouldn’t there have been a record of it? There were security cameras in the 90s, if it happened, footage would have been given to the police since Trump was a public figure. Carroll made her claim public in 2019 when she published her memoir, What Do We Need Men For? A Modest Proposal. Trump repeatedly denied the claims — including, famously, calling Carroll "not my type" — and he accused her of making up the story in order to sell more books. In my opinion, I think she made up the whole thing. And again, I will repeat, I am a sexual assault survivor.
My guess, Trump came into the store and shopped. She might had a bit of a crush on him and he flirted a little but nothing more. Maybe something did happen to her with ANOTHER person, who wasn’t famous. We are living in the ‘sky is falling’ times and media will eat it up. Whatever sells, right?
The media (and public’s) preoccupation with ambulance-chasing stories that grab us by the collar. Always a witch hunt on s someone, Trump? Prince Harry? Did Kim Kardashian break the internet again? Media believe failure, not success, tends to get defined as news. Getting good news out and getting it utilized by the media. A lot of positive things going on in the world that doesn’t get out. Media focus on whatever makes money, regardless if they are emotionally hurting the people who are involved.
The media is preoccupied with conflict or the sensational. Most people find the media to be intrusive and obnoxious. In the rush to chase “hot news” too often the media distorts and stereotypes- not deliberately but unavoidable.
There are many people who believe that reporters, driven hard by television, are always scarring to entertain, often sacrificing context fro a good picture or an inflammatory quote.
Ronald Regan’s former media maestro, Michael Deaver, a PBS documentary from November 22, 1989 (see video below) said to Bill Moyers, “while TV White House reporters “won’t admit it, (they) are not in the news business; they’re in entertainment…we absolute thought of ourselves when we got into the national campaigns as producers. We tried to create the most entertaining, visually attractive scene to fill that box, so that the cameras from the networks would have to use it…we became Hollywood producers.” Too often, instead of reporting, the correspondent becomes the packager.
Sometimes the media is guilty of uncritically printing too much “good news” in the form of handouts from public officials. The press can do more, but the public doesn’t demand they do more. No one wants to read a long piece on the health care crisis, for example.
No one should confuse a journalist with an office seeker. Reporters, if they do their job, will often displease. The public , as critical as they are of the press, seems to understand (with the exception of the leftists, they eat up everything the media tells them and refuses to do their own research to see if the media is telling lies or the truth)
The essential check and balance role that is performed by the journalists and increasingly questions the media’s intrusiveness and balance. Still, just as we are to hold pubic figures accountable, journalists live a charmed life. They get paid to report the news, without worrying how it will affect the people they are talking about.
The American Constitution, wisely singles the media out for special protection. The media enjoy a measure of power. They are responsible for ferreting out the truth, as best as they can. And for listening, media should listen to the criticism. The problem is, the people in power, Robert Murdoch, for example, tell the media to ignore the criticism. Now, when you have a podcast, you have more freedom of speech and freedom to give your opinion and freedom to tell the truth.
The truth should always be reported. The full truth and nothing but the whole truth, should be reported in the media.
