“Ethics? Just Ignore them. We’re the press!”

Just a quick peek at web pages such as Daily Mail. and Perez Hilton’s infamous blog, it is easy to notice that these people just did away with general ethical principles which are supposed to protect people from these immoral intruders who wouldn’t mind destroying someone’s life.

Case-study 1) John Travolta

John Travolta had been protecting his son throughout all his short life.  He even piloted his own plane whenever they wanted to go on holiday in order to avoid accidents but unfortunately Jett Travolta died in the bathroom after suffering from a seizure.  Needless to say, John Travolta was devastated.  He held a very personal ceremony to celebrate Jett’s life and asked the press to give him a short break in order to recover.

Right. Fair enough no?  Not for the press it ain’t!  Instead of giving him the time he asked for there they were blaming him for being a Scientologist!  THEN they recall the story when John Travolta was seen kissing the nanny who was a Scientologist too!  Then a huge extortion attempt from people who have photos of a dying Jett Travolta they threaten to sell to the press.  (All links open news articles)

Now let me remind you that this man lost a son.  And just when  he expressed his wish to be left alone there they go happily blaming him for everything. 

 

Case study no 2) Shelley Price the mother who “doesn’t love her daughter”

If you are not convinced that the press can and does destroy families, there you go.  The story of Shelley Price , the mother who doesn’t love her daughter.  The name pretty much says it all, but in short Ms. Price sold her responsibility of a mother who is supposed to protect her children to the press. 

'I'm a loving person,' she says. 'Over the years I've had time to think about how this happened and I haven't come up with anything that would pass as a reason or excuse.'

Of course, Ms. Price could consulted a counsellor, or a family psychologist.  But no.  She makes money out of it.  She sells the story of her daughter to the press, who instead of telling her to consult someone and get things right, they publish the story online.   And they even did the whole thing properly.  They took photos of the mother and daughter which were published together with the story!  They invited them in, asked the daughter to smile and the mother to frown and everything and paid the mother for it. 

Don’t tell me that it isn’t MORE than disgusting.   I hope that the girl is taken from the mother and the newspaper sued and hopefully shut for good.  There are so many things to report!  The weather going barmy, the new US president’s agenda, the Oscar nominations… but no, they think that a whole article about Kate Garraway getting a new hairstyle  is what people are after.