Tabloidization...

I fully believe that there is a place for celebrity news, gossip, and all things Hollywood. But not on the pages of some of the most respected newspapers and news programs we have. I'm all about information. Celebrity news is information whether we like to believe it or not and it belongs in tabloids and little flimsy papers you find at the checkout of the supermarket. Newspapers are the place where the public should be getting the information they NEED to know, not necessarily what they WANT to know. I agree with the article in the CJR that if newspapers want to take on pop culture, do it in an educational and informative way by looking at cause and effect on our society. Journalists are supposed to help people make responsible decisions, be good citizens, and to understand the world around them through information that we dig up and often analyze and put together. The things that end up on the pages of tabloids don't really fit the mold. So go ahead New York Times, take on pop culture, but don't see it and spit it back at us. Look for trends, study cause and effect, and try to remember our purpose, otherwise, you're no more credible than the STAR.