The fine line between good reporting and stalking...

This week reading about compassion in journalism, Smith is right that there is a negative stigma behind journalists and photographers. I think it's because good investigative work isn't really recognized, instead we do see a lot of candid shots by journalists and reporters trying to air people's dirty laundry. Take this site for an example, granted this is a British based news source and they have a reputation for their... investigative work anyways but this organization seems to pride it's self on candid shots and gossip reporting. This article about Renee Zellweger for example, feels creepy with these practically stalker style photographs obviously taken without consent at a distance. This article discussing British pop star Jade Goody, featuring pictures of this women breaking down after chemotherapy treatment is sickening. Do we really need such intimate details as "The 27-year-old mother of two was seen leaving the hospital on Friday dressed casually in a Gap hoodie, black tracksuit bottoms and black sheepskin boots." It all seems a bit silly to me, and quite frankly rude. Perhaps some may appreciate the attention, but I can't help but find this sort of thing as allowing the world to stalk a celebrity without having a "stakeout" themselves.

I'm using some pretty extreme, and negative, examples but these are the sorts of things we can see at a daily basis. The best example I can think of is standing in like for the cashier at any supermarket and seeing the tabloids talking about who's cheating on who, and whatever other supposed shocking news that they can come up with. I'm sure there are compassionate reporters and photographers but in a world where good news isn't really exciting news... we don't hear about such things. I'd like to think reporters would hold themselves in a respectable manor, but with thinking about tight deadlines most news organizations hold, would I not take shortcuts as well? Does that sort of environment breed this sort of uncaring competitive nature we associate with the press?