Ethical perspective Weblog

 Hollywood has always revealed itself as a culture both fascinating and disturbing, a sentiment which holds even more true in recent years with the rise of an unprecedented type of celebrity journalism – one in which a vociferous mob of paparazzi hunt down stars like wolves.

The fascination with celebrities has steadily increased in the last 15 years. Who can forget the coverage of the infamous O.J. Simpson trial or the car chase in which paparazzi hotly pursued Princess Diana, leading to her untimely death? However unsettling, these events pale in comparison to today’s coverage of celebrities which unfolds like a giant circus of a reality show where Hollywood is the leading lady in a free for all that takes a backseat to any ethical rationale.

What strikes me about our celebrity-obsessed culture is what it means about our society for now – and for the future. Just look at the public’s current obsession with Britney Spears; a figure more known for her troubling exploits than for her legitimacy as a pop star. What then, does the constant chronicling of these exploits mean in relation to where Western civilization is heading? In Peter Cheney’s article from the Globe and Mail entitled Target: Britney, he speaks with Tim Blackmore, an author and professor of media studies at the University of Western Ontario, who sees the rise of celebrity journalism as a signal that our society is in decline. “There is a terrible vacuum in our culture, and this speaks to it. You have to ask yourself what’s going on when these are the narratives that we pay attention to.”

You can’t talk about celebrity journalism and not mention Spears, as the two are synonymous. Thriving on her spree of erratic behaviour, paparazzi are battling it out for just the right picture of her, which can be sold for upwards of a million dollars US. With paparazzi agencies springing up overnight and assigning entire teams to cover Spears’ every waking moment, I have to put this puzzling charade into context. Do photos of Spears at Starbucks demand more attention and merit than say, the current war in Afghanistan? When examining the tiresome coverage of Spears, it provides a disturbing commentary on what society deems important. And it will only get worse. Cheney also spoke to Brandy Navarre, co-owner of celebrity photography agency X17 who commented on the celebrity feeding frenzy. “We’re tapped into something that the public really wants.”

Since documenting every move made by celebrities is seemingly what the public wants then what as a society are we lacking – and why is this being replaced by such a low form of entertainment? Is it that we enjoy seeing the fall of celebrities like Spears, which makes us feel better about ourselves…why do we need to know what she’s doing at all hours of the day? Our society’s celebrity-obsession is leading to dangerous territory, where we’re left thirsting for bigger, better, faster more of everything which isn’t good for us. If we’re paying attention to these celebrity driven narratives, then eventually who is really going to care about the important events that are shaping and influencing the world we live in?

If this is to continue, then celebrity journalism will surely be a contributor to a decline in societal values, a by-product of chronicling the absurdity of life, which does nothing to celebrate it. I think that as consumers, we have a responsibility to take power against this demeaning form of entertainment that is disguised as journalism. One way this can be done is by failing to buy into the tabloids and gossip rags that make capital off of hunting celebrities. If we are so concerned about what is happening in celebrities’ lives, it should cause us to question what is lacking from our own lives – and surely that is what society needs to pay more attention to.

Source: Globe and Mail, March 1 2008, Peter Cheney, Target:Britney.