This blog entry by Alissa Puccio. The story: "Art or Porn? Elton John's Photos Seized"
The analysis:
- The article I found was from ABC News involving Elton John and a legendary artist. According to reports Elton John defending a sexually explicit artwork created by photographer Nan Goldin that people are describing as pornographic. The photograph was seized from the gallery by British authorities after receiving a complaint about the photograph. The picture named “Klara and Edda Belly Dancing” depicts two young girls, one of whom is lying down with her legs spread open. The New York artist is well known for her sexually provocative and explicit work usually involving family, friends and children. Legal observers in the United States say that while the courts have tried to limit protection of artistic photographs or moving pictures featuring nude children or sexually explicit images of young people, prosecutions have been infrequent. John has been collecting photography since the early 1990s and is considered to own the largest private collection of 20th century photography. Nan Goldin is a friend of John's and the British singer has patronized her work for many years.
I chose this article because I feel that the only reason there is such a controversy about this photograph and it is discussed in the news because Elton John is publicly commenting on his disapproval of the removal of the piece of work. However, I do agree with Elton John in the fact that this photographer’s work has been published all over for years with no questions asked and with one complaint, British authorities cause a scene and seize the photograph. I feel that if it was any ordinary person fighting for this artist’s right, nothing would be published in the news. But since it is someone famous defending Goldin, everyone wants to hear his opinion. This article clearly shows how much celebrities influence the media. Famous celebrities like Elton John control what the media does and does not publish. I feel that this article is rather unimportant and uninteresting to have been put in ABC News as a headline, but because Elton John wants to publicly announce his feelings on the matter, it becomes an important matter.
2 comments:
I'm not sure if this article suggests how celebrities control the media or if it's more the other way around. If there's been one product of the intense need for content to fill the 24 hour news cycle, it's been to clutch onto anything that will grab the reader's attention and, increasingly, that means celebrity news. That's not to say celebrities don't wield power either but I imagine, in this case, it's not like Elton John picked up the phone and told his publicist: "make a story out of this, pronto!" It seems more likely that ABC News thought it might attract some readers and hence, they lead with it.
Just watch: tomorrow, the headlines will be about how Britney Spears just lost custody of her kids. Does this story matter for any other reason than celebrity? Nope. But it will be big news for at least a day.
i agree. this sort of news are great fillers for "more important" news such as the presidential campaigns, and how hot it's been for the last few days (those scam atists they call meteorologists have a easier time rolling sevens than predicting weather). there is less coverage about the downside our economy is going into, the blackwater scandal, and how russia's claim to antartica's resources which i find more pertinent. my opinion: the gov't and the media are working hand in hand to downplay possible social unrest throughout the nation.
-chimy
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