Blog Prompt #8

Tabloid's executives 'knew about hacking'

Surprised? Well I was outraged.

Just a few days back, Clive Goodman, News of the World former correspondent, has sent a letter stating that the News of the World executive stuff had known about the hacking incident. So, contrary to Murdoch's statement, which states that this phone hacking was only carried out by Clive Goodman, a new controversial was sparked.

Well, after reading the article with wide-eyed 'amazement', I would really like to comment on the News of the World's stand towards this whole incident. For one, if what Clive Goodman has claimed was really true, I am really disgusted with the executive staff of News of the World. We now know that the truth that phone hacking were carried out is not only confined to Murdoch and specific individuals, but the executive staff as well. As such, I really do want to question the staff's attitude towards the phone hacking incident.

If the information about the phone hacking is only known to Murdoch, and not to the rest of the staff, and the company was caught doing so, I would place all the blame to Murdoch. But the situation we face now seems to be otherwise.

How could an entire company allow phone hacking to be carried out?

How can anybody not stand up to question the morality of doing so?

In my perspective, the fact that the staff knew about the hacking reflects on their own moral values. Just because Murdoch allows it and wants it do be done, it does not mean that the staff has to follow accordingly and blindly. Someone with high moral standards would stand up and question Murdoch's action.

This also clearly shows the moral standards and working attitude of people nowadays. Are we becoming people who would carry out instructions even if they are wrong to ensure that we have a job place for us? What exactly is happening to one's moral values in doing so? The people of our present world seem to be prioritising their pay cheques above their own morality.

I believe in the process of this whole incident, we should really take some time to reflect on ourselves. As we study in school, aiming to be top-notch people of the society in the future, are we going to be people who would value the money we earn higher than the the moral values so heavily emphasised when we were educated? Perhaps, even if it does mean going against our own morality, would we still do wrong things and try to keep it a secret, as long as it guarantees the money?

I really do wish that the youth of the world would be able to decide for themselves, of what should be done and what should not be done.

Hopefully.

Blog Prompt #6

"The news media should be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture and going to the extremes for sensational news. How far do you agree?"

I believe this was gone through in class a few days back. But anyway, I agree to a very small extent as to whether the news media should be blamed for the unhealthy paparazzi culture and going to the extremes for sensational news.

Firstly, the readers play a part as well. This unhealthy paparazzi culture is not something new but has been going on, and is definitely not oblivious to the reader. But, the readers have not been speaking up in outrage about this, but rather, they have been buying this tabloid news at great numbers. So in a way, the curiosity of the reader which drives them to buy the tabloid news in turn drives the publisher to continue hunting for sensational news. As such, the readers who have been actively supporting and not taking a clear stand against this unhealthy culture acts as a form of drive for this unhealthy paparazzi culture.

Next, the law too is not doing anything against this culture. The law enforcers themselves are timidly hiding in their safety zone, by not publishing and openly criticising this culture that is already prevalent in our society. Instead, they choose to take a neutral stand, in fear of offending the publishers of these tabloid news, which may lead to them seeing themselves in headlines the following day. This lack of courage and the fact that nothing have been done to this culture allows this unhealthy culture to be carried out, without any opposition.

However, the news media themselves are to blame as well. News media is probably the most potent weapon that the people are using to spread this unhealthy paparazzi culture. Right now, news media enables news from different corners of the world to be spread in a matter of seconds. Also, this unhealthy paparazzi culture is also caused by the greed for money of the news media. As readers swarm to read about tabloid news and gossips, it is the people at the back scene who profits with the money earned from all the tabloid newspapers and magazines sold to each and every customer.