This morning's pull-out-all-the-stops coverage of Elizabeth Taylor's death yesterday recalls the blowout treatment given to the June 2009 death of her friend, Michael Jackson.
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The covers seem to argue that Taylor is not the biggest star ever, despite the question in the headline. Michael Jackson got considerably better play, owning the top 2/3 of the front page.
ReplyDeleteThat's why I think journalists should resist ridiculously over the top assertions even when they're only meant as conversation starters. This isn't a slam on USAT, by the way, but on the way the media in general covers celebrities. Too often, we buy into the bigger-than-life hype and try to crown some guy with one good album the next Elvis Presley.
To be fair, Jackson's death was unexpected, and Liz Taylor's obit has been written and in the can for the better part of 15 years. That, to me, would justify the difference in play.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with Newsie78.
ReplyDeleteThe Jackson death was the complete surprise of a very popular figure.
The Taylor death is a normal passing of a star who had seen better days.
I have not seen many sellouts today either, where the Jackson cover was next to impossible to find after mid morning.
Today's front page doesn't have an advertisement stripped across the bottom. When's the last time that happened?
ReplyDelete