The distinguished panel and the gathering has their own views on the same. My take on the topic -
- Once I become a public figure how can I even think of remaining private? What I do, think, advocate...eat,drink, everything is under public's eye. Having said that then don't I have my right to privacy? Yes, I do have BUT its a limited edition privacy and its boundaries are monitored and re-drawn continuously by both of us (me - the celeb and you - the public / media).
- I may be a Pole Star in my profession but that does not mean I am perfect...I am also fallible. Woods is a great golfer whom the world will find hard to replace after he is gone but then it is his choice to go sleeping around with women. I love sex; and if my partners are ok with it how and why should it matter to you until I am not sleeping around with either your wife or sister or...
- I agree to the thought that we are increasingly becoming more voyeuristic. e.g.Mr. X is married and he is having affairs with eight women at a same /different time just under his wife's nose. How does it matter to me, to you, to any one else? That is his choice, his way of living, his decision.Its between Mr. & Mrs X and the other eight women to decide if the action is OK or not OK. Still if I know Mr. X then in more than 90% of cases people like me would definitely enjoy in listening, viewing, discussing about the 'juicy' or lack of it life of Mr. X. We as a common people are by nature like that. As Mr. X is a common man so his story is limited in small circle of people who know him while Woods is a public figure and hence a larger circle of people is interested in knowing about the details. Thats it.
- We are interested in our celeb lives because A) we always wish to be like them B) if they commit anything wrong, we connect to them as one of us the common, fallible man!!!
- Yes, its all together a different issue that why we are voyeuristic- may be is basic human nature that we like to peep into others life or something other but the fact remains we love to watch others' lives!!!
Now coming back to main question - Does the private lives of public figures make legitimate media stories?
The answer to me, unfortunately, is YES.
Media is the fourth pillar of democracy and its a responsible medium because it has the capacity to build, influence, mold opinions. Its saddening to see the 'responsible' media is turning to 'entertaining' media. To quote one of the panelist from the show - The mainstream media called us yellow journalism but today they are all in RED. So true.
When journalists say that "we show what people want to see" is like saying we pamper our children by fulfilling all their wishes whatever right or wrong. As a parent we do give things that our child seeks or demand for but as responsible parents we at times do say NO.
It has to be a collective decision of all the media houses to be 'RESPONSIBLE' and decide what of our (viewers) demands are justifiable and what are not and try molding our demands rather than falling prey to it. Exceptions may and will be there.
Woods affairs, as an example, is a news and should be reported in the media as he is a public figure but as a news and not as a story. So I may have said yes to the question but the correct answer should be NO. Its all about the question of what you show and what you should show...and that decides your legitimacy.
