I don't blame Paris Hilton and her family for trying to sell their story.
After all, why should multinational conglomerates be the only ones who get rich off her misfortune? Why shouldn't the supposedly stupid blond heiress get a piece of the action?
Brian Montopoli wonders on CBS Corp's (NYSE: CBS) PublicEye blog whether paying for an interview with Hilton would be the worst thing in the world.
"Why don't they just pay for these interviews and then disclose that they've done so to their audience? " he writes. "Wouldn't that ultimately be more journalistically honest -- and even, on this skewed scale, more ethical."
Good point.
The flap over whether NBC outbid Walt Disney Co.'s (NYSE: DIS) ABC for an interview with Hilton following her release from jail underscores the competitive pressures in network television and the media in general.
TV networks regularly wine and dine interview subjects, pay to fly them to New York, put them up in the finest hotels and introduce them to a celebrity or two.
Is there really much of a difference between paying their expenses and writing someone a check?
Not really.
Though respectable news organizations all cringe at the thought of paying for a story, as the media environment becomes more competitive, the question is going to keep coming up. Even reporters at prominent news organizations including the New York Times have been criticized for giving money to interview subjects.
I don't know whether the U.S. media will resemble the U.K. newspapers that routinely pay for exclusive interviews. That isn't such a far-fetched notion since it's easier than ever for people to avoid the press.
Rosie O'Donnell and other celebrities address their fans on their blogs. Professional athletes and coaches are paid big bucks to tell their stories on radio and television shows.
What's in it for these people to talk to reporters?











Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-24-2007 @ 11:54AM
DONNA said...
WELL I FEEL LIKE THIS. IF SHE HAS A STORY TO TELL AND WANTS TO SELL IT THEN DO LIKE OTHERS AND WRITE A DARN BOOK. I'M SURE SHE HAS ENOUGH FANS THAT WOULD SPEND THEIR HARD EARNED MONEY OR THEIR DADDY'S MONEY TO BUY IT JUST TO SAY THEY HAVE A PIECE OF SPOILT PARIS HILTON.SO WRITE A BOOK,OH COME TO THINK OF IT SHE MIGHT OUGHT BE BETTER OFF HAVING SOMEONE ELSE WRITE IT FOR HER,AND SHE CAN TELL HER STORY.SUCH AS IT IS!I FOR ONE DON'T FEEL SHE WAS DONE WRONG BY BEING SENT BACK TO SERVE HER SENTENCE FOR DUI/DRIVING ON SUSPENDED LICENSE.SHE IS NO BETTER THAN THE ONES WHO DON'T HAVE THE MONEY HER DADDY HAS TO BAIL THEM OUT.PEOPLE WHO DRIVE DRUNK WOULD DO GOOD TO GO WATCH THESE MOVIES THEY SHOW PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO TAKE THE 4 OR 8 HOUR CLASSES HERE IN FLORIDA WHEN THEY HAVE A DUI OR SUSPENDED LICENSE. THEY SHOW WHAT DRINKING AND DRIVING CAN DO TO A PERSON AND THEIR INOCENT VICTIMS THEY KILL.MY HUSBAND TEACHES THE CLASSES AND THE MOVIES SURE WILL MAKE YOU STOP AND THINK.THESE ARE REQUIRED CLASSES IN FLORIDA.THEY SHOULD BE MANDATORY IN ALL STATES.IT IS SAD TO THINK THIS,BUT I AM SURE PARIS HILTON DIDN'T LEARN ANYTHING FROM THIS. MOST DUI OFFENDER DON'T UNTIL IT IS TO DARN LATE. YOU CAN'T REPLACE A LIFE WHEN YOU TAKE IT. ONE OF THE TAPES IS ABOUT THIS MAN WHO IS SERVING A 20 YR SENTENCE BECAUSE HE WAS DRIVING THE CAR THAT KILLED HIS BEST FRIEND WHEN THEY ARE OUT THE NIGHT OF GRADUATION AND THINGS OT OUT OF HAND HE SAID. AND HE IS NOW 23 AND HE SAYS HE NEVER HAS FORGIVEN HIMSELF,EVEN THOUGH THE BOYS FAMILY VISITED HIM IN PRISON AND TOLD HIM THEY DID AND HE NEEDED TO GET ON WITH HIS LIFE. BUT HE SAYS HE SEES HIS FRIEND IN HIS DREAMS NIGHTLY. IT IS AN INTERVIEW DONE IN THE PRISON AND IT IS HEART WRENTCHING TO WATCH.THAT YOUNG MAN IS LIVING IN PURE HEL- EVERY DAY OF HIS LIFE. I AM SURE THEIR ARE OTHERS LIKE HIM IN THIS WORLD JUST LIKE HIM WHO LEARNED THE HARD WAY WHAT DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE CAN DO TO CHANGE YOUR WHOLE LIFE. WHEN MY HUSBAND SHOWED US THE MOVIE I CRIED,BECAUSE WE HAVE A 34 YR OLD SON WHO IS AN ALCOHOLIC AND HAS HAD HIS LICENSE SUSPENDED FOR DUI'S WHEN HE LIVED IN TENN. THEY WERE SUSPENDED FOR 4 YRS AND HE FINALLY GOT THEM BACK 3 YRS AGO,BUT SAD TO SAY HE DIDN'T LEARN ANYTHING FROM LOOSING HIS LICENSE OR WATCHING THE MOVIE HIS DADDY EVEN MADE HIM SIT AND WATCH. ALL HE HAD TO SAY WHEN IT WAS OVER WAS "YEA I WILL GET KILLED ONE DAY DRIVING DRUNK". BROKE MY HEART WHEN HE SAID THAT. BUT WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN THEY KNOW THEY HAVE A PROBLEM BUT REFUSE HELP.WE JUST HOPE/PRAY HE NEVER HURTS ANYONE ELSE WHEN HE'S DRUNK/DRIVING. WE REFUSE TO LET OUR YOUNGER CHILDREN GO ANYWHERE WITH HIM WHEN HE IS DRINKING.
6-24-2007 @ 11:54AM
Palm Springs Savant said...
Nothing wrong with it, she's just starving for attention. I just did a Paris Hilton parody post on my blog. Stop by and check it out:
http://rickrockhill.blogspot.com/2007/06/dr-sidney-wang-contacts-paris-hilton-in.html
8-08-2007 @ 1:50AM
Chidaabha said...
Oh come on ! Why shouldnt she sell the story when ppl are ready to buy ! Where there is demand there is supply ! and there are no FREE LUNCHES ! Somebody is going to earn from her story why shouldnt she earn too.