Celebrities in Journalism - The Ethics of News Coverage - Poynter

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Celebrities in Journalism: The

Ethics of News Coverage
By: Victor Merina
January 20, 2004




Note: This is one in a series of articles probing issues raised in a Jan.

13 conference, “Reporting on Celebrities: The Ethics of News
Coverage.” The conference was held at the USC Annenberg School for
https://www.poynter.org/archive/2004/celebrities-in-journalism-the-ethics-of-news-coverage/ 1/20
Communication, in collaboration with The Poynter Institute. See the

sidebar below for more.
The setting for the journalistic forum was fitting.
It was held in a state where California voters sent a body-building

movie star to the governor’s mansion. In a city where a local pro
basketball player’s future is pinned to the outcome of a criminal
trial. And in a company town where the business is show business
and the valued currency is celebrityhood.
Welcome to “Reporting on Celebrities: The Ethics of News

Coverage” or as Variety may have headlined it if there were enough
space and a wayward copy editor: Media Minds Quiz Celeb Biz Fizz.
The panel discussion, sponsored by The Poynter Institute and the

USC Annenberg School for Communication, brought together an
array of journalists, academics, newsmakers, and a public relations
executive in a gathering before an audience of more than 60 people
at the USC campus.
While the forum tackled a central question of whether the media

have gone astray in reporting on celebrities, there were other
questions to ask: Is the coverage of celebrities at the expense of
other news? Are there adequate newsroom guidelines for such
coverage? Do journalists create their own celebrities and cover

them in a tail-chasing exercise that exhausts resources and
frustrates readers, viewers, or listeners?
The questions and the responses they evoked — which were as

varied as the nearly two-dozen speakers — underscored how
increasingly important the issue of celebrity coverage has become
in newsrooms.
Nothing reflects that emphasis more than in recent stories and

subsquent media scrutiny that have come out of California and the
West.
Last fall, media outlets were criticized for their coverage of Arnold
Schwarzenegger’s gubernatorial campaign in California.
Schwarzenegger supporters complain of an anti-Arnold bias. His
critics contend that the media are too lenient on the popular movie
star.
When Michael Jackson was arraigned last week on child

molestation charges, his fans were vocal in slamming news
organizations for the ongoing coverage of their pop idol. What was
billed as a court arraignment in nearby Santa Maria became a
media and anti-media circus.
Meanwhile, news organizations are still grappling with how to

cover the sexual assault case of Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Laker
player accused of rape in Colorado. How do you handle a story
that is already saturated with media? And how much of the story
goes on the news pages and how much remains in the sports
section?
Toss in the media fury over Britney Spears’ day-long marriage in

Las Vegas and the usual highs and lows of Hollywood stars, the
explosion of new faces on cable and reality television shows, and
the proliferation of even more athletes and musicians, and there is
no mistaking the challenge for news organizations.
Dean Baquet: “I’m not convinced there is more celebrity coverage as I am convinced there
are a lot more celebrities.”
“I’m not convinced there is more celebrity coverage as I am

convinced there are a lot more celebrities,” said Dean Baquet,
managing editor of the Los Angeles Times and one of the panelists at
USC.
The Times reported that 10,000 readers cancelled their

subscriptions to protest the paper’s investigation, published just
four days before the election, into groping allegations against
Schwarzenegger. Baquet defended the story and its timing. He also
disagreed with those who said Schwarzenegger generated too much
coverage during the 52-day campaign.
Peter Bhatia, executive editor of The Oregonian, took issue with

readers who had criticized his newspaper for what they said was an
overemphasis on the Bryant case at the expense of other news
stories.
Bhatia, president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors,

said readers should look at how a newspaper covers a community
or issues “over a passage of time” when evaluating celebrity
coverage.
Media should be judged by overall coverage, he added, “how it

cares about the community and how it covers the community, that
is the real test.”
Even as more celebrity news appears, some journalists are resisting

the urge to air some of those stories. Bob Long, vice president and
news director of KNBC in Los Angeles, said his station has avoided
what is one of the staples of some media’s coverage — celebrity
lifestyles — and he expects others to do the same.
“I feel you’ll see less and less of celebrity lifestyle stuff because
people are simply not interested,” he said.
Not everybody agreed about the waning coverage and lack of

interest in celebrities. Several panelists noted how the popularity of
celebrities can drive up readership or viewership and others said
journalists needed to be cautious about ignoring what the public

may actually want.
A person’s celebrity status should be one of the factors in

determining news value, said Dan Rosenheim, news director of
KPIX-TV in San Francisco. “One ignores viewers or reader interests
at your own peril,” he said. “We risk trivializing ourselves and
marginalizing ourselves.”
Journalists whose coverage is focused on celebrities underlined the

importance of ethical standards in reporting, writing, and
photographing the stories they do.
“You’re not going to violate your operating standard as a

journalist” to cover celebrities, said Cynthia Wang, associate
bureau chief in Los Angeles for People magazine. She recommended
a rigid fact-checking system and a hiring policy that seeks
journalists experienced in court reporting and other skills.
But some panelists said the competition to snare a celebrity

interview can lead journalists to cross ethical lines.
Susan Tellem, the lone public relations executive on the panel, lists
local prosecutors in the Jackson case among her clients. She said
some reporters are less scrupulous about sources and accuracy,
especially when it comes to celebrity cases. “There is a terrible
pressure on journalists to get the story,” she said.
Several panelists noted how the popularity of celebrities can drive

up readership or viewership and others said journalists needed to
be cautious about ignoring what the public may actually
want.Robert Scheer, a newspaper columnist and magazine writer,
put it more bluntly: “There is an incredible amount of corruption
in this business.”
Scheer who also teaches at the Annenberg school, said some

magazines and television programs are so dependent upon
celebrities that they may hype or soften stories to promote or
protect celebrities. He cautioned against a get-the-interview-at-any-
cost philosophy when it comes to celebrities.
Other panelists warned against allowing celebrities or their

representatives to control copy. They also criticized the trend to
cut costs — or speed up story production — by relying on public
relations agents as substitutes for good, sound reporting. They
advised against letting celebrity coverage be characterized simply
by scandals.
Peggy Jo Abraham, news director of E! Entertainment Network,

pointed out that in the competitive world of celebrity coverage,
some media outlets are no longer insisting on independent
confirmation before publication or distribution. Instead, they settle
for quoting another publication or television outlet reporting on
what may only be a rumor.
We have become a voyeuristic society, said Ken Baker, West Coast

executive editor for Us Weekly magazine. But he cautioned that
there is a need to identify the difference between what is
newsworthy and what is “journalistic pornography” when it comes
to showcasing stories or photographs.
In the past, Baker said, photographs were mostly a supplemental

part of a story. Now, photographs often spark a story. “In the last
two or three years, it has become the starting point for news,” he
said. “Get the photo and go report to give it context.”
While journalists who specialized in celebrity news say they see

more demand for their work, others also have felt a change in their
newsrooms.
Sue Cross, vice-president/West of the Associated Press, said that

her wire service used to handle calls largely from Americans
interested in news about celebrities. With globalization and
worldwide interest, those inquiries or tips now arrive from as far
away as Indonesia and Germany prompting AP reporters to
investigate and possibly file stories for the news wire.
“It has made a difference in what we pursue,” she said.
So, how do journalists maintain ethical standards in covering

celebrities? As some panelists indicated, they begin by asking
questions that point to an ethical process. They include asking:
Why am I doing this story?

Is there a journalistic reason for this story?

What is the story’s news value?

How much time and resources are we spending on this?

Is this being done at the expense of another, more important

story?
Determining the worth of a story is a newsroom decision based on

various factors. But as some panelists argued, celebrity status
should be one factor to be weighed. Others maintained that a story
can be valued merely because it is entertaining and a good read.
But with any criteria, there should be a process or method that will
help journalists determine the coverage of celebrity news.
The forum, which included Poynter’s Gregory Favre, Bob Steele,

Aly Colón, and Kelly McBride, began with a bit of whimsy. Jay
Harris, former publisher of the San Jose Mercury News, introduced
himself with a confession. “My name is Jay and I have been a big-
city tabloid editor. I am in recovery for 15 years and could fall into
the thrall of celebrity journalism.”
But it was also Harris, who now teaches at USC, who warned of the
seriousness of the issue. The media that carry useful information as
the “central nervous system of society,” he said, can also “spread
that which weakens, that which corrodes, and that which debases.”
For many, that description spotlights the dangers of celebrity news

coverage. Actor Ed Asner, who was one of the newsmakers on the
panel, called journalism’s fixation on celebrities “horrifying” and
suggested that it was contributing to the “moral decay” in the
country. The other newsmaker was John Dean, the former White
House counsel who recounted the days when reporters covered him
relentlessly as one of the central figures in the Watergate scandal.
He contrasted that time to the present-day political coverage that
he says is lacking in bite.
“I have never seen a less questioning media today than I have with
political celebrities,” Dean said.
Politicians and other story subjects are not the only celebrities in
town, of course. As E! Entertainment Network’s Abraham pointed
out, in the search for celebrities, the media need not look very far.
She described how people attending one of the high-profile court
hearings were only momentarily disappointed at failing to obtain
an autograph from the defendant. They merely stood in line to get
the autographs of those celebrities at hand — the journalists
covering the trial.
Support high-integrity, independent journalism that serves

democracy. Make a gift to Poynter today. The Poynter Institute is a
nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, and your gift helps us make
good journalism better.
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Victor Merina
Victor Merina is a former Los Angeles Times reporter and teaching fellow at the
Graduate School of Journalism at the University of California at Berkeley.…
Victor Merina
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29/03/22, 18:52 Celebrities in Journalism: The Ethics of News Coverage - Poynter

Easy to Use Test Automation

COVID-19: Poynter Resources

Celebrities in Journalism: The

By: Victor Merina

January 20, 2004

Note: This is one in a series of articles probing issues raised in a Jan.

Communication, in collaboration with The Poynter Institute. See the

The setting for the journalistic forum was fitting.

It was held in a state where California voters sent a body-building

Welcome to “Reporting on Celebrities: The Ethics of News

The panel discussion, sponsored by The Poynter Institute and the

While the forum tackled a central question of whether the media

coverage? Do journalists create their own celebrities and cover

The questions and the responses they evoked — which were as

Nothing reflects that emphasis more than in recent stories and

When Michael Jackson was arraigned last week on child

Meanwhile, news organizations are still grappling with how to

Toss in the media fury over Britney Spears’ day-long marriage in

“I’m not convinced there is more celebrity coverage as I am

The Times reported that 10,000 readers cancelled their

Peter Bhatia, executive editor of The Oregonian, took issue with

Bhatia, president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors,

Media should be judged by overall coverage, he added, “how it

Even as more celebrity news appears, some journalists are resisting

Not everybody agreed about the waning coverage and lack of

journalists needed to be cautious about ignoring what the public

A person’s celebrity status should be one of the factors in

Journalists whose coverage is focused on celebrities underlined the

“You’re not going to violate your operating standard as a

But some panelists said the competition to snare a celebrity

Several panelists noted how the popularity of celebrities can drive

Scheer who also teaches at the Annenberg school, said some

Other panelists warned against allowing celebrities or their

Peggy Jo Abraham, news director of E! Entertainment Network,

We have become a voyeuristic society, said Ken Baker, West Coast

In the past, Baker said, photographs were mostly a supplemental

While journalists who specialized in celebrity news say they see

Sue Cross, vice-president/West of the Associated Press, said that

“It has made a difference in what we pursue,” she said.

So, how do journalists maintain ethical standards in covering

Why am I doing this story?

Is there a journalistic reason for this story?

What is the story’s news value?

How much time and resources are we spending on this?

Is this being done at the expense of another, more important

Determining the worth of a story is a newsroom decision based on

The forum, which included Poynter’s Gregory Favre, Bob Steele,

For many, that description spotlights the dangers of celebrity news

Support high-integrity, independent journalism that serves

Reeling in a federal boost for local journalism remains

Condé Nast workers at Vogue, Vanity Fair, GQ and other

Sometimes, I want to be terrifying

Hearst Connecticut ramps up coverage of Hartford County,

Start your day informed

Get the Poynter newsletter that's right for you.

SEARCH MEDIA JOBS

Arts Midwest - Managing Editor - Flexible

Reporter - Pittsfield, Massachusetts

Production Consultant - Work from home

Staff Writer/Editor, Quanta Magazine - New York

We provide a complete 360° Virtual

Experience for our Buyers and Sellers