Monday, June 13, 2005

Hypocrisy and double standards of the 'media'

Nurngirl has a complaint:
Are the latest batch of articles which have appeared and multiplied in the ‘media’ regarding the murder which took place in Nairn last year yet another example of the ‘media’ creating a ‘news’ item. Most of these articles express righteous indignation about the plans of an artist to create a picture from a scene which was photographed outside the house and the impact that this will have on the family. Surely the ‘media’ are as guilty of causing ‘anguish and torment’ as the artist concerned especially when many of them reproduce the image that he enquired about? They have members of the police force making comments to this ‘story’, and also appear to have approached members of the family for comments.

By running with this ‘story’ they have created ‘news’ which adds nothing to the case being solved and must continue to cause the very ‘distress’ which they accuse the artist of doing to the family. My gurn is not to highlight what the artist involved was going to do with the image but to highlight the hypocrisy and double standards of the ‘media’.

4 comments:

Bill said...

In which 'media' are these stories appearing? I have not seen them, but then I tend not to (in fact I never) read 'tabloid' trash newspapers and certainly would never consider paying good money to read it. The only time I ever see such articles is occasionally when my online media news aggregator brings something to my attention. People get the 'media' they deserve; if they are willing to lap up this rubbish when it focusses on other communities around the country, they can hardly complain if, every so often, some supposedly newsworthy aspect of a local event is taken up by the same 'media' to peddle more copies. If enough people stop supporting the publishers who propagate such 'scandals'/'human tragedies' for their own commercial gain, then they will soon divert their attentions to more worthwhile news stories.

Graisg said...

Inclined to agree with Bill but I still spend money on dead wood stuff. I get the P&J for example for various reasons and today we are treated to the outrage on this issue plus the picture in question and then to cap it all an editorial piece : 'Work of 'art' is in worst possible taste.'
Sorry P&J so is your decision to print the picture concerned on page 8 (6 by 9 inches).
Will continue to buy however because I enjoy, the Gàidhlig, the letters, the local sport and one or two other things.

Nairn said...

A number of people in the world are fascinated in a voyeuristic sense with what we generically label news; or rather what we are fed with as so called news. I don’t own or watch a TV, but can remember when I did that news programs pumped many graphic images to the watching millions. If you showed some of these as stills to folk on the street, I am sure many would describe them as distasteful or distressing to look at, but for some reason when streamed via the cathode ray to folk’s living rooms they are OK.
When I lived nearby to motorways I was always amazed by the congestion caused by folk slowing down to look at accidents, so much so that the rubber neckers as they are known were reported on the traffic news as a hazard in their own right.
To generalise, it would seem we live in a society whereby folk are interested in images and words of their fellow human beings misery.
I like Craisg indulge in deceased tree media, and I am sure all newspapers, even the quality Broadsheet titles (is there one these days?) will splash a story and even a picture to increase sales, but at least I can ignore a story or turn a page if I do not want to look at a still picture. TV doesn’t allow personal censorship unless you just switch it off!
Art is not, and never has just been about painting a vase of flowers. Damien Hurst may not be your cup of tea even with a dash of formaldehyde. His now shelved intention to paint a canvass from a still from a still unsolved murder scene may be deemed insensitive, or the attention the story has achieved might provide further clues to help solving the mystery. Whatever it will no-doubt spurn a few ‘yours disgusted of….’ type letters and has even filled a few lines in this blog

Bill said...

I've just read the report in the 'Telegraph' and there seems to me to be nothing remotely 'sensational' about it; they report the family's objections and the fact that it is a photograph taken by a local (i.e. Inverness) freelancer which may be used. If anyone is to be criticised it is the local freelance photgrapher for agreeing, it seems, to allow/sell his photograph for this purpose which is, I agree, tasteless. As for how this story got into the 'media', is it more likely to be Hirst's publicity machine or the local freelancer hoping to increase the salebility of his work in future? I see nothing wrong with reporting quite factually what may be about to happen. If 'tabloids' or other print media have sensationalised it, then stop buying them.