Week 8 Article

Blog altered for report...

Information regarding a person’s private life should only be made public if it relates to their role in the public sphere and consequently affects a considerable amount of people, Tom Stott said today.

Stott, a journalism student from the University of Newcastle, today discussed with his fellow students an issue that effects modern journalism: To write or not to write? Should Journalists risk stepping over the line of privacy in the name of public interest? And how do we draw this line?

Writers Glenda Cooper and Stephen Whittle (2008) say 'There is currently a battle around the point at which freedom of expression and the public interest meet the right to privacy.’

Stott introduced to his listeners an example of this battle with Hollywood columnist Perez Hilton and his coverage of a car accident involving celebrity Lindsay Lohan, who was found to be under the influence of drugs whilst driving.


Hilton made speculation that the cocaine, which was found in the vehicle at the time of the accident, could have been owned by passenger of the car Samantha Ronson.


Following Stott's example the audience divided.

Many students began advocating the right to privacy- stating that this incident shouldn't have been reported – and the remaining half declared the actions of a public figure or celebrity should be public knowledge due to their public status.

'To apply Tom's [initial] statement to celebrity their private lives aren't at all in the public interest,' student Brooke Lees said.

'Then why do these stories remain at the forefront of the news,' asked Lecturer in Journalism Christina Koutsoukos.

According to Stott this is because the public is interested - they want to know. They do not, however, have the right to know - and this is where the difference lies.