"Brittany Murphy's husband found dead" (WHO GIVES A SHIT!)

[trumad]

The single worst environmental disaster of our lifetime going on at this very moment and CNN devotes it's front page center news to some obscure guy who married an actress.

And this my fellow DU'ers is a perfect example of the attention being given to this disaster.

[peacebird]

1. first side - Gulf Oil Disaster, other side is a celebrity death

I agree that Gulf Oil disaster is by far more important, however your title is truly cold. This man has died, I am sure there are plenty of people who care. I understand you are frustrated - as are we all - but this headline is really bad, and a bit beneath you, Trumad

[trumad]

2. Too bad...

Our MSM is nothing more that tabloid trash...

This belongs in the B Section...not fucking center front page news.

What--- 100 people care this guy died....so it's national news?

Nope--- I'm sick and tired of tabloid shit dominating our MSM!

[Kalyke]

27. When I was reporting, I often heard from readers who

wanted the newspaper to "report more good news and less gossip."

Well, my newspaper always - every day - had a local "feel good" story on the front page, which I'd point out and the reader would glaze over, not realizing that, yes, "good" news was being reported... daily. Then I would ask said reader what weekly magazine was the most popular. They were often STUNNED when I'd point out that it wasn't Time or Newsweek, but The National Enquirer.

Of course, I said all that to prove that gossip sells - news does not. How very sad.

[sinkingfeeling]

29. It's a website not a newspaper.

[AllentownJake]

10. He is identified as a deceased B level celebrities husband

My thoughts and prayers with his loved ones and families and all that nonsense, but I'll agree with the OP

The man is not relevant to anything in society. He doesn't even appear to have entertainment importance.

[SoCalDem]

19. Brittany Muprhy's mother probably cares

if her daughter's estate went to the husband, it now probably foes to her widower's family...

[AllentownJake]

20. Again

I think her mother found out with a phone call from someone, I doubt she needs CNN to tell her when her deceased daughter's husband passes away.

[Carter Hayes]

3. Corporate media whores

just feeding tabloid shit to the stupid, so they can protect their corporate masters

[Dorian Gray]

4. That's all true

but I wouldn't have heard of his death unless you posted this this morning. So, it's obviously titillating enough to share on DU.

It's shocking because she died herself not too long ago. But the Gulf Oil Spill will be in the news for far longer.

[trumad]

6. I wouldn't have heard of it at all...

but my morning journey to CNN introduced it to me front and center.

[Dorian Gray]

9. Well, if it makes you feel better

(it won't) I have the early morning news shows on now, and the Brittany Murphy's husband's death hasn't been mentioned yet. But there is a LOT of talk about the Sex and the City sequel. (Yeah, that doesn't bode well for our news programs, either.)

[KharmaTrain]

12. Some Can Walk & Chew Gum At The Same Time...

I have no idea who this dude is or who his late actress/wife was...sounds like a sad story. It's yet another story among many. I don't see this minimalizing the ongoing gulf disaster...some of us can deal with more than one thing at a time and have the capacity of figuring which story is more important.

Yep, the gulf catastrophe will be news for time to come and those of us who are paying attention now will be doing so as this tragedy plays out. Both are sad stories and in their own measure.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Sadly, celebrity news is popular

As an example, take the BBC website front page. http://news.bbc.co.uk/ It has:
Top story: 'Osborne outlines £6bn cuts detail' (biggest headline), explanatory sentence, and link)
Next 2 stories: 'MMR doctor struck off register' & 'Dumbbell attack teacher sentenced' (smaller headline, explanatory sentence each, and links)
Next 8 stories (just the title and link for each):
Top army bomb squad officer quits
British Airways crew begin strike
Duke 'unaware' of ex-wife meeting
S Korea freezes trade with North
Jamaica PM vows to end unrest
BNP leader 'to step down by 2013'
Actress Murphy's husband found dead in LA
Facebook chief's privacy pledge

And then what has been viewed the most, in descending order:
Osborne outlines £6bn cuts detail
At-a-glance: £6.2bn spending cuts
Murphy's husband found dead in LA
Dumbbell attack teacher sentenced
Lost finale seen around the world
MMR doctor struck off register
Child Trust Funds to be scrapped
Runner dies at Edinburgh marathon
University places in spending cut
BNP leader 'to step down by 2013'

The Murphy's husband story has made its way up to number 3, only beaten by the 2 links related to the biggest story. CNN is just pandering to public taste, I'm afraid.

[bread_and_roses]

7. I don't even know who Brittany Murphy is (n/t)

[DemocratSinceBirth]

13. She Played Eminem's Girlfriend In Eight Mile

~

[Jamastiene]

16. She was also the voice of Luanne Platter on King of the Hill

Plus, for the first 5 years, she was the voice of Joseph Gribble too.

[Obamanaut]

8. We don't have teevee, so I didn't know about it. Thanks. nt

[WeDidIt]

11. Based on the space, I'd say about 60% care about that and 40% care about the Gulf.

The corporate media plays to what people want to know. Ratings ratings ratings.

If people didn't give a shit that Brittany Murphy's husband was found dead, it wouldn't get any play at all. Just like Lindsay Lohan, the media is a reflection of their audience.

To alter this you must fundamentally alter the mindset of the vast majority of Americans.

[AllentownJake]

15. Chicken or the Egg

Cocaine is popular, we don't seem to like the people on the corners selling it.

[madinmaryland]

14. Unrecced. MODS: Please move entertainment stuff to the lounge!

Thanks!

[woo me with science]

18. I don't consider this entertainment news. It's a comment on media standards in the US.

A couple of weeks ago, someone noted the stark difference between the CNN and Al Jazeera conceptions of what constitutes news:




Today is just another example of that. We have the pic posted in the OP versus what is on Al Jazeera right now. Take a look: http://english.aljazeera.net/

[trumad]

23. Well

it's obvious this went right over your head....

[Tommy_Carcetti]

17. I agree it's not front page news, but still your OP is insensitive.

I'm sure the guy had friends and family who cared about him. Do you have to shit on his grave just because you disagree with CNN's editorial decision?

[AllentownJake]

22. I'm sure they are wondering why it is on CNN as well nt.

[Ganja Ninja]

21. Really.

How can anyone concern themselves with such trivia when Lindsey Lohan is facing arrest!
:eyes:

[Phentex]

24. You do.

That's why you posted.

[cbdo2007]

25. Maybe you should make your own news website....

so that you can devote 100% of the page to one news story for months on end.

[H2O Man]

26. Exactly.

This may have been the man who could have cleaned the small patch of oil that someone spilled in the ocean. Or, perhaps he could have played that role in a B-grade made-for-tv movie. We need to put things out of perspective, in order to get a more comfortable view.

[DemocratSinceBirth]

28. Maybe It's Not Newsworthy But Your Reaction Is Shameful And Reflects Badly On DU

~

[BakedAtAMileHigh]

30. jesus christ, you're wasting space complaining about other people wasting space

Your post is much more offensive than this story making the headlines at CNN.

This man pretty obviously committed suicide after his wife's death. It's a ridiculously sad story no matter WHO the couple happened to be, but when you add the fact that they lived their life in the public sphere it reaches a level where their slow fall speaks to many others around the nation; enough so that CNN gave it coverage.

I'm no fan of celebrity news, but have some respect for the terrible sadness and despair faced by this family. If you don't appreciate the coverage at least have the good fucking taste to leave the story alone or AT LEAST use an example of celebrity news where your derision and scorn does not reveal you to be a callous asshole.

[tonysam]

32. +1,000

OP gripes about it yet posts about it. Go figure.

[peacebird]

34. +1000000000000000000

Trumad pretty much shat all over me when I mentioned this in the first reply to the post..... Indeed the OP was obscenely callous.

[mzteris]

31. who's Brittany Murphy?

:shrug:

I'm sorry her husband's dead, but why is this major news?

[joeybee12]

33. Not surprising...BP isn't blocking access to reporting on Britney's hubby's death...n/t

[RandomThoughts]

35. And you miss the point that the Oil Spill

when it is shown on TV is not allowing coverage on the corruption in many sectors from being on TV. The Oil Spill is a destraction to get people from thinking about the problems also.

[WinkyDink]

36. You do?