2008 Woodie Awards
Bad journalism at its finest
Editorial
Daily Vidette Editorial Board
Issue date: 4/23/08 Section: Viewpoint
Miley Cyrus, sometimes better known as Hannah Montana, has increasingly been seen as a role model for young girls across the nation and world.
Seeing this, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the press and fans are watching her every move. While we aren't up to arguing about whether or not celebrities should be watched so closely, it's obvious that it happens.
The Associated Press, along with other media outlets, reported on Tuesday that a girl resembling Cyrus was seen in pictures posted on the Internet.
The video featured the girl revealing the top part of her bra, posing in her underwear and bikini and getting friendly with a young male.
The first thing that crossed our minds after reading this recently added AP story was that it wasn't actually a story. It seemed more the product of poor and lazy journalism.
On the day of the Pennsylvania primaries, a huge determining factor in who will be the democratic presidential candidate, this story, that would more likely be found on Perez Hilton's Web site, is on a national news source's Web site.
However, it wasn't even on Hilton's site yet. Before the gossip Web sites could pick up the "story," CNN and AP had already done so.
It can hardly be called a story when a celebrity does something inappropriate or scandalous. But it is even less of a story when it cannot even be confirmed that Cyrus was the one in the picture.
The story listed what the pictures had shown but also stated several times that the accusations towards Cyrus were unconfirmed.
When it comes to serious breaking news, we can see how it is acceptable to print a story before all the details are worked out, because you can always go back and update it later.
But when it comes to gossip filled celebrity stories that really serve no purpose, all the facts should be found and confirmed before a finger is pointed.
Even if it really was Cyrus in the pictures, how much scandal does that really present? Fifteen-year-old girls are seen at beaches and pools across the country in bikinis, so it seems only fair that Cyrus would be held to the same standards.
But she isn't. Cyrus, along with several other Disney stars, are forced to grow up and become adults long before they should. Most of us were learning about sexuality in our mid-teens, and celebrities of the same age are no exception. The only difference is that they do it all in the public eye.
So is it really fair to judge teen celebrities who are only trying to find themselves and learn about things all teens learn about?
Whether or not Cyrus was the one shown in the picture is still up for debate (and confirmation) but it should open eyes to what we all think of as news.
All media outlets are gatekeepers, and that is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. The day a photograph, possibly showing a celebrity doing something mildly inappropriate, draws more attention than the primaries, that may determine the Democratic candidate, is a sad day.
Seeing this, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the press and fans are watching her every move. While we aren't up to arguing about whether or not celebrities should be watched so closely, it's obvious that it happens.
The Associated Press, along with other media outlets, reported on Tuesday that a girl resembling Cyrus was seen in pictures posted on the Internet.
The video featured the girl revealing the top part of her bra, posing in her underwear and bikini and getting friendly with a young male.
The first thing that crossed our minds after reading this recently added AP story was that it wasn't actually a story. It seemed more the product of poor and lazy journalism.
On the day of the Pennsylvania primaries, a huge determining factor in who will be the democratic presidential candidate, this story, that would more likely be found on Perez Hilton's Web site, is on a national news source's Web site.
However, it wasn't even on Hilton's site yet. Before the gossip Web sites could pick up the "story," CNN and AP had already done so.
It can hardly be called a story when a celebrity does something inappropriate or scandalous. But it is even less of a story when it cannot even be confirmed that Cyrus was the one in the picture.
The story listed what the pictures had shown but also stated several times that the accusations towards Cyrus were unconfirmed.
When it comes to serious breaking news, we can see how it is acceptable to print a story before all the details are worked out, because you can always go back and update it later.
But when it comes to gossip filled celebrity stories that really serve no purpose, all the facts should be found and confirmed before a finger is pointed.
Even if it really was Cyrus in the pictures, how much scandal does that really present? Fifteen-year-old girls are seen at beaches and pools across the country in bikinis, so it seems only fair that Cyrus would be held to the same standards.
But she isn't. Cyrus, along with several other Disney stars, are forced to grow up and become adults long before they should. Most of us were learning about sexuality in our mid-teens, and celebrities of the same age are no exception. The only difference is that they do it all in the public eye.
So is it really fair to judge teen celebrities who are only trying to find themselves and learn about things all teens learn about?
Whether or not Cyrus was the one shown in the picture is still up for debate (and confirmation) but it should open eyes to what we all think of as news.
All media outlets are gatekeepers, and that is something that shouldn't be taken lightly. The day a photograph, possibly showing a celebrity doing something mildly inappropriate, draws more attention than the primaries, that may determine the Democratic candidate, is a sad day.
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Erica
posted 4/24/08 @ 5:04 PM CST
I don't think that that girl was Miley Cyrus, maybe someone just made a story up about her because shes big right now. I don't think that she would do something like that. (Continued…)
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