Clay Aiken News Network hits a nerve
Yesterday's article on CANN, Ethical Standards on the Web addressed the problem of journalists, bloggers and tabloid reporters who embellish and twist factual information with inaccurate opinions in their reporting or even worse, fabricate entire stories.
For the past six years Clay Aiken's fans have seen this type of yellow journalism more times than we can count. Clay Aiken is only one of many celebrities that this is done to but as a fan, Clay is the one I'm most familiar with. In order to not spread the sensationalistic story further I won't repeat the details but a simple reported Twitter sighting of Clay Aiken and his baby son became fodder for tabloids and bloggers. This is yellow journalism at it's finest.
Don't know what yellow journalism is? Wikipedia has an excellent article that will explain what it is and how it came to be called yellow journalism. It is a type of journalism that downplays legitimate news in favor of eye-catching headlines that sell more newspapers or create more hits on web sites. It may feature exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, sensationalism, or unprofessional practices by news media and some bloggers.
Technorati Tags:
Clay Aiken News Network, yellow journalism, bloggers, tabloids
For the past six years Clay Aiken's fans have seen this type of yellow journalism more times than we can count. Clay Aiken is only one of many celebrities that this is done to but as a fan, Clay is the one I'm most familiar with. In order to not spread the sensationalistic story further I won't repeat the details but a simple reported Twitter sighting of Clay Aiken and his baby son became fodder for tabloids and bloggers. This is yellow journalism at it's finest.
Don't know what yellow journalism is? Wikipedia has an excellent article that will explain what it is and how it came to be called yellow journalism. It is a type of journalism that downplays legitimate news in favor of eye-catching headlines that sell more newspapers or create more hits on web sites. It may feature exaggerations of news events, scandal-mongering, sensationalism, or unprofessional practices by news media and some bloggers.
Technorati Tags:
Clay Aiken News Network, yellow journalism, bloggers, tabloids
posted by Truth Rules | 1:01 PM
17 Comments:
Excellent blog and yes, that story certainly hit a nerve!!
Clay Aiken puts up with his fair share of crap and deals with it by ignoring. I just don't think he should have to ignore - rumor represented as cold, hard news should not be tolerated - period.
Seems like the celebrity rumors including the Clay Aiken rumors are usually spread by those with an agenda. Some people can't stand the success that some celebrities enjoy. Could be for various reasons, but a lot of it is jealousy and a need to strike out at those who do well. In some cases people involve themselves in the personal lives of a celebrity and if it doesn't measure up to their expections they lash out.
Great blog. It would be nice if the media, websites and bloggers showed a little integrity. Seems like the trend is in the other direction.
It is a thought provoking subject. Current journalistic practices has destroyed the ethical responsibility that journalists have to report the facts and makes everything reported suspect... not just entertainment stories.
It's a darn shame that almost ALL journalism now is yellow. What happened to the ethics of the so-called legitimate news?
Thank you for this blog. The more we can bring this topic to the forefront, the sooner something might be done.
The good thing about all of this is that the more outrageous the story becomes, the fewer people that believe it.
A nerve has certainly been hit today for sure. There is even one blogger that has been spreading lies about Clay Aiken for years, that had to make more a joke of himself by using a good blog about spreading lies, as his own blog. What a dope!
As someone that had once wanted to major in Journalism in college, I'm so disappointed in the integrity of some of those that call themselves journalists today. The gossip rags, even some of the entertainment shows, leave a lot to be desired. They are the ones that give a bad name to all.
As long as someone "gets the story" first, it doesn't matter if there is any truth to it. Why check facts? A lie travels faster than the truth and we've seen that first hand over the past few years.
Great blog!
Allyson, I want to word your post. The obsessed stalker who continues to try to make himself relevant through his delusion and lies is still a nobody and has no one so continues this folly.
Journalism is not what is was at one time. The tabloids have become all powerful relying on gossip and bloggers for their information, change that to mis-information. Clay Aiken has had to deal with the yellowist of articles.
Agenda driven articles abound in the tabloids and internet using the slightest mention as the basis of their story. The backstage American Idol story was just that. The took a "possible" twitter viewing of Clay Aiken with his son at idol and wrote the fictional story that followed. Each story was embellised a little more. Almost no truth to it.
Great blog! Clay is a better person than I am for enduring all of the mud slung his way all of these years by these so-called journalists!
no wonder I don't like yellow.
It's too bad Clay Aiken has to put up with yellow journalism
Great Blog!!
Yellow journalism at its finest, so called reputable newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times stooping to tabloid news. I am truly disappointed and wonder if they even know or understand the meaning of integrity. Clay Aiken personifies it, they should take lessons.
Truth,
You and all who are blogging about journalism ethics -- or lack thereof -- are to be applauded. It's a different world from my days on a newspaper staff. My former editor, still a very good friend, and I have discussed the current sad state of affairs many times.
Thank you again for putting this topic in the headlines!
Caro
Thank you so much for this great blog. Things in the media need to change. I don't know how Clay Aiken and other celebs deal with all the lies and crap thrown their way.
Thank you for blogging about this very important subject.
It's become very disheartening that 'tabloid journalisim' is at the forefront of what passes for news these days.
These people don't care that the celebrities they fabricate stories about are REAL people, with REAL lives that don't deserve the kind of treatment they receive from unethical bloggers and 'media.'
Clay Aiken has had more than his share of this kind of treatment, and is to be commended for simply living his life and not responding in kind to the unfairness thrown his way.
Excellent blog. What these "yellow journalists" do tells a lot about the type of person they are.
I applaud the legitimate journalists that believe in reporting truth not trashy fiction.
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