Media Issue 4: OK! cover of Michael Jackson's death photo stirs controversy

The photograph of Michael Jackson being carried on a stretcher, possibly dead was published in the front cover of one of the issues by the OK! Magazine. OK! Magazine reportedly paid half a million for the photograph of the possibly dead Michael Jackson. Many are furious about the cover which reported by The New York Post includes entertainers, Jay-Z and Sean Combs. "The Insider" showed the same photo on TV and posted it on its website the week before in came out on OK! Magazine's front cover. The main issue here is whether picture making the front cover is disrespectful or appealing to Michael's millions of fans (Snead, 2009). The OK! Magazine is guilty for sensationalism, "the use of exciting or shocking stories or language at the expense of accuracy, in order to provoke public interest or excitement" (Stacey 2009). This is unethical and also an intrusion of privacy. There are codes of ethics for journalism or photography. "The public perception of the journalist, and of the news media in general, has suffered from unjustified intrusions into privacy" (Burkholder, 2009).The National Press Photographers Association has a set of code of ethics one of which states that, treat all subjects with respect and dignity (NPPA, 2009).


Caption: Last photo of Michael Jackson before his death. (www.theinsider.com)

Before any picture is published,we have to analyze whether it is ethical or not. The photograph may be disrespectful to some parties in this case, it invades the privacy of Michael Jackson and his family. Even those close to him finds this an invasion of privacy. Fans of the late Michael Jackson do not find much appreciation of the cover as it is a violation of his privacy. They are already in pain and grief. This picture certainly does not help. According to Safieddine (2005), it is important be both moralistic and entertaining to attract audience attention. This theory certainly applies to this issue.

References
Snead, E 2009, OK! cover of Michael Jackson's death photo stirs controversy, viewed 18 November 2009, http://blog.zap2it.com/thedishrag/2009/07/release-of-michael-jacksons-death-photo-stirs-controversy-.html
Burkholder, C 2009,Online Journalism Ethics:Photojournalism, viewed 17 November 2009, http://www.journalismethics.ca/online_journalism_ethics/photojournalism.htm
National Press Photographers Association, 2009, NPPA Code of Ethics, viewed 18 November 2009, http://www.nppa.org/professional_development/business_practices/ethics.html
Stacey, 2009, Sensationalism, viewed 18 November 2009, http://www.litelysalted.com/2009/03/sensationalism.php
Safieddine, H 2005, ‘Attracting the Adults’, viewed 27 October 2009, < http://yaleglobal.yale.edu/content/attracting-adults >
Phtograph :http://www.theinsider.com/news/2306335_Michael_Jackson_Exclusive_Last_Photo