IN A TOWN LIKE PHILADELPHIA, we become attached to our sports figures. They are our celebrities, our heroes, our family. We want to know everything about them. But how much is too much?Eagles head coach Andy Reid has said very little about the drug problems of his two sons. Until this week.
He spoke to the media about his boys, and Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Phil Sheridan says its a good thing. Sheridan writes, "Maybe Andy Reid will find that it's not just OK to show his human side; it could even lead to a better, deeper relationship with the people who fill the stadium every football Sunday."
Huh?
The story about the Reid boys troubles is the lead story on the front of the Philadelphia Inquirer today. The headline reads, "Family In Crisis."
Do we need this kind of coverage? If this episode involved regular, non-celebrity folk, would it be news? Are we treating these guys differently because they are of pseudo-celebrity status?
Or is this news, the kind of stories that people want?
13 comments:
Enea said...
I think that we are treating these guys differently because they are of pseudo-celebrity status. I think that he should have been on the news, but I do not think that he should have been in the front page. I think that this story was in the front page because it was the most interesting story. Many other people who were in the same situation weren't in the frond page of the Philadelphia Inquirer.
I don't think this story needed coverage whatsoever. If it was a normal family, the drug problem would only make it to the news when the user did something under the influence that harmed other people, but there would not be coverage of the family, or their opinions of the drug use. Only the incident would be covered.
I think it is awful that this would get any coverage, especially front page coverage. This is a disgrace to journalism, especially when there are way more important things going on in Philly.
~Kim Wood
It was okay to cover Andy Reid's sons getting locked up the first 50 times, now it's just old news. And as for the judge calling them a family in crisis? That's not news.
Sure, they're getting more coverage because they're pseudo-celebrities, but I think it was okay to cover them at some point. Andy Reid is a public figure in Philadelphia, so it made sense, but now they're going a little overboard.
This time around, the story wasn't particularly newsworthy, but it was something people want to hear about, I guess. Not me, but it made the front of the Inquirer and the Daily News, so someone must want to read it...again.
Just because the Inquirer and the Daily News covered it doesn't make it newsworthy. They just think it is.
But are they thinking about the most important news stories or are they thinking about selling newspapers?
The Inquirer happens to make a big deal about the Reid boys on the day the Eagles happen to be playing the Cowboys.
Is that good journalism or smart business?
- George (the teacher)
p.s. - Did I say the Eagles were playing the Cowboys? I meant to say the Eagles were padding the Cowboys offensive stats.
Ha. (About the Eagles comment.)
Off course it's not newsworthy just because it was covered. But they are pseudo-public figures because of their father. And the people want to know how about famous people's children! Would Suri Cruise and the like grace the covers of tabloid magazines if people didn't read about it? Why should Philadelphia be any different?
People want to read this kind of stuff. It intrigues them on some level. I think that local newspapers write this kind of stuff so that they can retain their readers.
Sadly, this stuff goes on in families everyday. Just because they have some fame they are on the front page. It is ridiculous for this to be blown up like this, why doesn't every family make the front page? Okay so he is the head coach of the Eagles but there is so much more going on in the world right now that needs to be talked about on the front page.
I have no idea why anyone would be that interested in Andy Reid's family issues. I certainly don't care about his family, and this story does not need to be on the front page. Reporters need to change their focus and need to start concentrating on what really matters.
Right, that's what I said. It's definitely more smart business than good journalism here.
These crazy Reid kids and all their drugs sell papers, apparently. It's a little sad.
this is not our business. his kids are messed up, who cares? andy and his wife need to take care of this.
however, i do think this hurts the eagles. how can your head be in a GAME when your kids are doing time?
-todd
We are treating celebrities differently and I don't know if it's right or wrong. In Andy Reid's case, I think that him getting a lot of attention because of his sons' troubles is wrong because there are many people who have the same problem and those kids decided to do it. They are grown and it's not Andy Reid's fault if he didn't know the drugs were there. On the other hand, when you have a high-profile job such as being the head coach of the Philadelphia Eagles, it comes with the territory. There are many celebrity figures around the country being scrutinized for things that many people all over the world have done. But that's life as a celebrity.
Andrew Lecointe
Everybody has or should have a personal life. We need to respect that and let him deal with his problems in his own personal way.
would this still be getting as much media attention is the eagles were 5-3 or 6-2 as opposed to 3-5? i think the ongoing struggles of the team continue to make these stories readable, where people who want to see others say that this is i face affecting reid as a coach. its still not really newsworthy thou, but hey, if people want to read it, its going to be in the paper.
I agree with james..If the Eagles (by miracle) were to pull out a playoff spot this year, I think that the media would start slanting a "hero" tone to Reid. "A guy who came back from the bottom!"..That's feel good stuff!...-If the Eagles begin to do well, the coach will be looked at with some stigma- "getting his problems dealt with" even if nothing involved with his family changes...but if they keep playing poorly, the media will continue to exploit his situation through the season.
-Alex
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