Privacy For Public Officials

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One of the more interesting aspects of the recent coverage of political scandals has been the press' extensive coverage of itself. Not only has the behavior of political leaders been under fire, but also the media's reporting of it. Media outlets are now more plentiful than ever, with online news sources joining those established in radio, print and television and all are competing for breaking news. The pressure to get the story, some argue, has led to the reporting of rumor and unverified information, as well as extensive coverage of personal information that violates the privacy of public figures. In the light of the Clinton/Lewinsky scandal some argue that the press is more concerned with selling papers than educating the public. They argue that important stories are left unprinted to make room for sensational news such as the romantic life of politicians. Critics also note that the public's consumption of the news is declining, as many Americans become skeptical of its ...

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In addition, the lack of any precedent for online journalistic ethics has led some outlets to publish rumors or other unverifiable information.
"It's hard to pinpoint just where in the past four or five decades the process began, but by now it's practically a truism to say that all media, including the online media, have come to resemble television -- or at least to pay tribute to its authority... Today, when newspapers spend much of their time reporting on "personalities" and "events" (images and soundbites) that are created for and exist solely within the media, when magazines that were once concerned primarily with the critique of politics and literature and the arts are filled ...

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