I think that, as a general rule, it is incorrect for the news media to pay too much attention to a person’s personal life. There are occasions where the news media should report on a person’s private life, but it should be noted that in doing so, the media is drawing attention away from the important issues that public figures should be addressing.

With all the tragic news we hear about on a daily basis, it makes sense that the media would attempt to alleviate some of the stress by showing off celebrities and public figures who are smiling. But, as we have seen in recent years, the media seems more concerned with the lives of those in the public eye; and this attention is misplaced. The purpose of media is to disseminate information to the masses, and reporting on public figures’ personal lives only distracts the people from their real concerns. Furthermore, it exposes their private lives to public scrutiny, which, in many cases, is unnecessary. Often, the personal lives of public figures are irrelevant.

For example, when Steve Jobs passed away, the media flooded the internet with stories about Jobs’ personal life, such as his relationships with women, his drug use, and his temperament. These reports only served to create unnecessary hype about Jobs’ death, and this speculation only served to detract from the memory of his life and achievements. Jobs’ death was a tragedy, but there was nothing particularly newsworthy or insightful to be gained from these speculations.

And, in many cases, the personal lives of celebrities and sports stars are completely irrelevant. Take for example the case of Kobe Bryant’s recent legal troubles. Kobe has been accused of sexual assault involving several women. The details of these incidents are unknown, but I am sure that if Kobe were alive today, the media coverage of his personal life would be minimal. The news would not be filled with speculation about his sexual history, nor would it be filled with his legal troubles. In Kobe’s defense, I suspect that his sexual history is unimportant to his many fans, and that, although he may be wronged, his legal troubles are not worth anyone’s time. His fans do not have time for speculation, and they do not care about his sexual past.

The media’s obsession with the personal lives of public figures is also unhealthy. The more people focus on celebrities’ personal lives, the less time they have to focus on the things that really matter to them. The media is providing a public service by reporting important news, but these news reports tend to make people forget about their personal lives, thus encouraging an unhealthy obsession with celebrities. The media should, instead, focus on reporting important news, and leave the public to focus on their own lives.