Saturday, March 6, 2010

Is Iverson's Off-Court Drama Newsworthy?

BASKETBALL STAR Allen Iverson has been a controversial figure since before he arrived in the NBA.

In high school he was arrested after a huge brawl between groups of teens. He left Georgetown University to enter the NBA draft before graduating, the first player at Georgetown to do that under the former coach. While playing with the Sixers, Iverson was constantly in the media spotlight because of his his work ethic, his tattoos, and his brushes with the law (he allegedly urinated in a trash can on a casino floor, there was talk of guns, he was busted with pot once, etc).

But he was also one of the most exciting players to ever wear a Sixers jersey (he recently left the team to tend to his ailing daughter).

Now, the media is reporting that Iverson is getting a divorce from the mother of his five children. Other reports say that Iverson has issues with drinking and gambling.

Should the media cover Iverson's off-court life? Is that relevant and newsworthy?

4 comments:

melanie roxanne gampon said...

Well, he's a prominent figure, and everyone who's a sports fan wants to know what is going on in his life. What he is doing can affect his team performance. But I don't think his off-court life is newsworthy and relevant at all because it is not affecting anybody. It is not unusual either because it happens to everyone. Everyone likes gossip. And gossiping about a sports celebrity is interesting even though it doesn't fit most of the newsworthiness criteria.

Daron Stivender said...

I personally think it is not newsworthy because it is his personal business. But there is a thin line between a celebrities personal life and their profession. People want to know what they are doing all the time, therefore, it is newsworthy.

Berryman, A said...

I personally believe that celebrities areregular people who want private lives, but since he is a celebrity there is a limit to what is actually considered "private" in there lives. according to the newsworthy criteria what the media is saying about him is relevant ant it keeps fans of his informed.

DL. Holmes said...

I feel that Iverson is newsworthy for the simple fact he's Allen Iverson. He is a public figure and people want to know what he do on the court as well as off the court. In the recent years people are so wrapped up in celebrities lives that they tend to forget about what actually matters like laws changing, health care or raising taxes. People want to know why Iverson left the Sixers and will he get a divorce instead. And news reporters think if that's what they want they we'll supply it. Also these story will possible sale and since journalism is a business it will work out.