Media Essays Media Tool Celebrities

Media Essays Media Tool CelebritiesMedia Tool CelebritiesIn bon ton to Feed the Publics Need to K straight the Media has Become a tool of Celebrities to Facilitate Their Out of view as Life-StylesDaily we read them, headlines that atomic number 18 crafted to focus our attention on the lives of celebrities. Whether those headlines be found on the opening move screens of our Internet Service Providers or, be they the headlines that we read while standing in line at the check-out counter of our local grocery store, we argon take fed daily doses of the chaste and ethical failures of the rich and famous.Daily we come upon somewhat them, they are the lead-in stories for our local news spreads and the fodder for jokes on late night television. They are true life accounts of extreme and terrible study of celebrities. Whether we hear the accounts as news items or as punch-lines, laurels escapades seem to document a wasting a centering of talent and squander of the endless possi bilities that are celebrities are afforded.Even though we would expect these headlines to search in dramatized versions of tabloid newspapers known for sensationalized journalism. More and much we father the exploits of the self corresponding(prenominal) few persons repeatedly making their way into main stream media as well. This outcome was most predictable, as the habits and life-styles that are practiced and lived by celebrities in concert with the indulgences provided to them collide with the norms of social conscience and the requirements of law.We the consumer, are encouraged to fill the vanity in our lives by being observers to theirs. To a large segment of b every(prenominal) club those daily doses of eminence voyeurism serves to feed a craving non impertinent doses of heroine to a junkie. We as a society crave to know more(prenominal) because we lay down for the longest period of time, been given glimpses of these celebrities successes and failures. nigh of us bladderwrack when their lives are filled happiness and success, taking pride in their accomplishments. Some of us are jealous of them, consider them pampered and spoiled, relishing the fact that they find themselves in trouble or, are acting in conformity with a self-destructive path.What is happening in the lives of Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, Jen, or Lindsay lohan? Who is their in vogue(p) love interest? Where do they party and with whom? What are the latest way of life trends they are setting? What problems have they gotten themselves into most recently? All these questions and more are answered for us even before the questions are pick outed.Are these questions answered for us because the media regards to fuel our interest in celebrities lives? Or, are they answered for us because the media is merely responding to the deals of the cosmoss need to know? Or, is the media being used as a tool of the celebrity, a means for the celebrity to increase demand for themselves as a commodity that exits in their ability to earn ever change magnitude sums of m iodiny that can be used to sustain their life-style?The media and celebrities have a strange symbiotic relationship. Celebrities go out of their way to forgather the spot-light when it is convenient for them and when the headline or photos help to foster their image. Yet, that same celebrity testament not hesitate to berate the media when the headline writers and paparazzi portray them in a bad light or invade the privacy the celebrities learn they desire.This inter-relationship between celebrities and the media is aimed at one audience, the creation that fuels both with money. Consequently, it must be argued and I firmly believe that the media is a tool of celebrities that facilitates their Out of Control life-styles in an attempt to capitalize on the general publics tendency to Celebrity Worship, a tendency that has recently been classify by degree and personality type in the Celebrity militar y posture Scale.1The Celebrity Attitude Scale identifies three (3) personality profiles, Entertainment-Social (This attribute comprises attitudes that fans are attracted to a favorite celebrity because of their perceived ability to think about and buy the farm a social focus) Intense-Personal (The intense-personal aspect of celebrity worship reflects intensive and compulsive feelings about the celebrity, akin to the obsessional tendencies of fans) and, Borderline-Pathological (This dimension is typified by intractable behaviors and fantasies regarding scenarios involving their celebrities).Whether the medium is print, television or Internet blade sites, the media is banking on all(prenominal) member of the public to whatever degree, being inflicted with Celebrity Worship and if not already smitten, the media is dedicated to causing those not yet smitten to become so by discovering the latest tidbits that can be converted into intermission news about the lives of celebrities. B anking is the appropriate word.It was in 1957 that American citizens obsession with celebrities was clenched fist responsible for attaining gross merchandising taxs that exceeded One Billion Dollars (US$1,000,000,000.00) annually.2 It would be a monumental task to estimate the current gross merchandising revenues generated and poesy of persons that Celebrity Worship is directly responsible for employing.However, it is easy to comprehend that from the reaching of the task of writing, photographing, publishing, distributing and selling accounts of celebrities latest adventures on a national and planetary basis and, taking into consideration payrolls, travel expenses, advertising revenues, publication and broadcast processes and the sales of merchandise, that the number of persons employed would total into the hundreds of thousands and, gross revenues would exceed the rude National Products of many of the mankinds nations. no. only are the media out permits scoring big put ons f rom publicizing the study they obtain about celebrities in order to obtain change magnitude readership and ratings that translate into increased revenue from advertising and magazine sales, so too are the celebrities who are acquiring rich in the process as their gains, likeness and mere mien become a commodity to a hungry public.By way of example, in 2004 through 2005, Paris Hilton was paid as much as $300,000.00 to attend foreign events, including parties thrown in her honor. During the course of that year, she earned an estimated $6,500,000.00 in personal appearance fees, was mentioned in 17,591 press clips and 592 radio set and television shows.3 However, subsequently her release from jail, it was reported but subsequently denied by her publicists, that she was demanding Three hundred and Fifty Thousand British Pounds (350,000.00), which is approximately $662,000.00, to appear on a British Radio Show to discuss her prison ordeal.Likewise, Lindsay Lohan given(p) Ok Magazi ne an exclusive question within 17 hours of checking herself into the cirque Lodge rehabilitation facility and again, upon returning to Los Angeles following her discharge from the facility. The interview was not motivated merely by a desire to assure to her fans that she was sincere about changing her lifes direction. Rather, to a bang-up extent, it was motivated by the fees she charged them to publish the exclusive interview and the pictures taken of her with her estranged father.The medias coverage of celebrities creates a spin around effect. The more promotional material they garner propels them to earn increasing sums of money. The increasing sums of money wherefore forfeit them to engage in outrageous chair that garners them more publicity all of which fuels the publics demand in furtherance of the adage that has now become entrenched in the marketing of celebrities in that respect is no such thing as bad press.Either because celebrities believe that there is no su ch thing as bad press, or because their lavish life-styles and high profile names make water them believe they are beyond suffering the repercussions of their conduct, celebrities have been Out of Control in the conduct of their lives and pose a risk of harm to themselves and to others.Whether their Out of Control conduct is the product of attempts by some to keep their names in the public spot-light in what they perceive as a marketing ploy that result inspire, delight and perhaps enlarge their fan base or, the arrogance that is provide by their celebrity status, the acts and omissions of some celebrities has in many instances shocked the American conscious. Moreover, to a certain degree, it may have had very strong pass that is only now being recognized and that may result in some celebrities learning that they need to exert self-control and discipline in their lives.The masses observe and interact with each other in gaga gossip about the lives of celebrities. The masses comm ent on the unacceptability of these celebrities conduct. Yet, that same society encourages these celebrities actions by continuing to pay for the magazines, watching the shows and reading the web site blogs perpetuated by the media.The added publicity then provides collateral reward to their out of the question conduct. Consequently, the general publics reaction to the media coverage contributes to these celebrities downward spiral by Operant Conditioning, the psychological theory that positive reinforcement of bad acts will perpetuate bad acts.4The lives of celebrities take over our humans in many ways. We turn on the television the celebrities are there. We go to the market the celebrities are there. We turn on our computer and search them out.Our societies soda water culture has turned watching drugged out or drunken, fractional naked, rich girls into a national past-time. We have to take the time to ask ourselves, are these people desired to be our next generations role mo dels? If so, the world is going to be a very scary place. Yet, our consuming dollars reboot them in the hearts and minds of the young who observe their parents and their peers obsessing on the lives of these celebrities.Through the demand placed by the public for gate to more and more information on these celebrities, we are giving these celebrities more opportunity, career success, name recognition, and profit from their own bad behavior. This in turn results in more and more outrageous conduct as they take us to new moral and social lows.It has often been said by celebrities that they do not want to be role models for our children. Yet, the spot-light that is cast upon them by media attention puts them in that role position. As tweens children between the ages of 8 to 12 years grow up they breakt have a lot of prior knowledge when it comes to a lot of situations, and so they look for person to imitate. For tweens this often means the person is someone they want to be like.5 Since these celebrities are role models nonetheless, should we not let our dollars force them into becoming if not good role models, role models that will not engage in conduct that is reckless to the life and berth of others?This was the message being move with the incarceration of Paris Hilton this is the message that awaits Lindsay Lohan now that she has emerged from rehabilitation to face the consequences of her reckless driving while chthonian the influence of controlled substances and, this is the lessen that has been learned by Brittany Spears, who is now paying one of the most costly of all prices for her conduct, the loss of her children.As the news of the do of the harm caused by each of these celebrities reached out to society through the media what was the result? Vehement protests by their ardent fans to how their favorite celebrity was treated bashing and name calling by those that dislike or are envious of them and, increased sales of magazines for those that got the Money Photo.Persons with untold wealth can continuously afford to do what those who do not have such broad amounts of discretionary money cannot afford to do. But we as a society can little afford to backing the publications that would flaunt their conduct and make it appear to be acceptable.A message must be sent to the media, that they are a tool of these celebrities who are using them to gain access to ever increasing sums of wealth. Therefore, if the media will not censor their own publications, then it is necessary for the power of money to do it, by way of boycotting the publications that support these celebrities bad acts by providing publicity to them.Bibliography1.Maltby, J., Houran, J., Lange, R., Ashe, D., McCutcheon, L.E. (2002). Thou Shalt Worship No different Gods Unless They Are Celebrities. Personality and Individual Differences, 32, 1157-1172.2.The Teacher Who Lured CelebritiesPaul E. DuffieldMusic Educators Journal, Vol. 43, No. 5 (Apr. May, 1957), p. 8 0 and 823.Forbes Magazine Top 100 Celebrities (2005), Estimates compiled by Forbes published sources include Billboard, Pollstar, Adams Media Research, Publishers Weekly and Nielsen SoundScan. Press clips compiled by LexisNexis TV/radio mentions compiled by Factiva.4.Ferster, C. B., Skinner, B. F. (1957). Schedules of reinforcement. New York Appleton-Century-Crofts.5.Adapted from National Institute of Child Health humanity Development (2003). Modeling your own behavior to provide a consistent, positive example for your child. Washington, DC National Institutes of Health. Penn State Cooperative Extension, Pike County, Tween Topics (2003)