Friday, April 21, 2006
This blog is slightly disturbed by the news coverage of the Tammy incident and the odd case of a JC student jumping to his death. While both are disparate issues and should not be mentioned in the same sentence, the fact is that the media coverage of both incidents are unforgiving and frankly insensitive. Both issues are really personal matter that invited the attention of the media which then exploited and effective blew the whole issue out of proportion.
While it maybe understandable that the newspapers devote some articles to tabloid style articles that pander to the reader interests, to give something as personal as the lost of a phone as much coverage as it received is simply uncouth. Indeed, while there is legal protection for minors, and other legal rights to ensure privacy, apparently Tammy is not entitled to it, as everyone is trying to get a view of her private affairs on the internet. There can be no justification for the revealing of all the lucid details in the papers. For no fault of hers, she will now have to live with this scar for the rest of her life, not withstanding the negative effects on her studies, and beyond that her career.
The case of the JC student who committed suicide is also an unfortunate circumstance that filled a full half page, with a title that is completely derogatory and insulting. Perhaps a question that the editors should ask is how will be parents and family feel? The lost a precious son and followed by a full spread in the newspapers. Perhaps more importance than anything else, the media must realize that its bottomline is neither profits, nor printing what people want to read. It should be about what people should read. Perhaps it will be a better policy to treat such cases with more respect.
2:57 AM
