Jade Goody's death
| 17:15 UK time, Monday, 23 March 2009
While millions of you have followed our coverage of the death of reality TV star Jade Goody, some of you have contacted us to question the appropriateness of our carrying the story.
Jade Goody became a phenomenon, both in terms of the interest she inspired in the public and in the effect that her sad death had on awareness of cervical cancer. To make a legitimate news judgement about our coverage, we applied the same criteria as we usually use: should we report this, and if so, how? Knowing that there was a possibility that Jade would die soon, we talked about whether this was a story we would lead on in the absence of other significant news.
Obviously, this kind of discussion is academic until the event actually happens; the circumstances were that the early part of Sunday was relatively quiet - when, later, Ken Clarke made his comments on inheritance tax, many parts of the BBC News output then led on that story.
We know that from the statistics that we have on a minute-by-minute basis from the news website that many more people visited than normally would on a Sunday - and the Jade Goody story was overwhelmingly the most popular story.
We also know that Jade was a very divisive figure and that by no means all of you were interested in the story: the reaction from 5 live's listeners, for example, has been very different to that of the Radio 1 audience. This highlights one of the challenges of producing news through a range of services for all of the UK population. While some of you have told us that you didn't like Jade Goody, or didn't want to hear news about her, we have to bear in mind those licence fee payers who have a strong level of interest and who expected us to provide measured coverage of her death.
Peter Horrocks is head of BBC Newsroom.
© MMIX~RS~q~RS~~RS~z~RS~08~RS~)
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Unfortunately watching BBC news is becoming more and more like watching a tv edition of The Daily Mirror or The Sun, and the excessive coverage given to Jade Goody only strengthens this view.
When there is so much going on in the world that is newsworthy we are subjected to hours devoted to Essex Girl 'celebrities' and other british non-events while stations like Al-Jazeera and Euronews wipe the floor with the BBC.
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To be honest, I don't think you need to explain - when a celebrity dies, they are often the top story until something bigger happens in the day. Same with Natasha Richardson, same with Jade, same with the next famous name to die. Jade's case is hardly unusual, other than the fact that she was divisive - so are a lot of famous people who die, though. People just seem to want to have a whinge when yourselves and other news oprganisations have done nothing unusual.
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Peter:
I thought the BBC and the services (and) related entities provided a fair service to the family of Ms. Jade Goody, in the aspect of death of her....
I am sending my heartfelt condolences and prayers out to the family and friends of Ms. Goody....
~Dennis Junior~
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I personally felt that the coverage of her death, tragic as it was, overwhelmed the coverage of Natasha Richardson's death, which in my view was far more tragic and sudden, in a time when Jade's death was expected. That being said, though, the print media are much more guilty over this matter than the BBC and other visual/online media.
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You really lost the plot on this one. Stop celebrating ignorance and start questionning those who are abusing power - expense fiddling MPs, tax avoiding corporations, hypocritical ministers. Let OK, Hello and Sky deal with the frivolities of life and get back to being a public service broadcaster that serves the public by addressing issues that matter.
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Popularity shouldn't be the measure of whether or not the BBC carries a story. Newsworthiness should be.
Woman dies of cancer. Sad, but an everyday event, and not newsworthy.
The argument that "the profile of this condition has been elevated" is a red herring: next to nothing of the coverage has been about THAT.
D grade - must do better.
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The story was certainly newsworthy, but one could argue that the only reason that it became newsworthy is because Jade knew how to 'play' the news outlets and create a media circus. At what point should a reputable news source decide that it's actually in the industry's interest NOT to fan the flames of mediocrity?
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"We also know that Jade was a very divisive figure..."
Jade may have been "divisive", but that is also true of many other figures with a public profile. I can think of politicians and certain prominent thinkers who are extremely divisive (and sometimes bigoted), and whose divisiveness has far more serious consequences for our society than the utterances of a rather garrulous young woman, who, by the way, only did us the service of revealing openly certain attitudes which are prevalent in this country.
And there is another thing about Jade... although she may have said some very unsavoury things (in my view, probably more the result of immaturity than racism), she actually showed some remorse for her bad attitudes.
It's one thing to be "divisive", brash, loud-mouthed and remorseful, it's quite another to be "divisive", mealy-mouthed, unctuously self-righteous, deceitful and utterly unrepentant in the face of irrefutable evidence. Jade fell into the first category; many other supposedly "more worthy" public figures fall into the second category.
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My personal view is 'publish and be damned..' - there is huge interest from the public, although the 'public interest' is harder to define.
Again, from a personal viewpoint I'm disappointed that the public appetite is for more coverage of Jade Goody's life than that of Natasha Richardson.
But I have to accept that the former was a British celebrity, living in Britain, who had tried very hard to make a name for herself locally.
Natasha Richardson had purposefully avoided only doing 'big-budget' films to focus on the theatre and films with a more limited audience - generally preferring art to commerce. She also chose to become an American citizen.
So I will understand if you also devote a lot of coverage to her funeral and issues surrounding her illness, but after that I think respecting her family's privacy will also be important - I think the BBC should lead by example on that front.
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It is very sad that Jade Goody died so young from a very destructive form of cancer. This young woman's public face was a product of the media from the start and so it is hard for some people to see the justification for the prominence given to her as compared to the many thousands of others who are in equally or more difficult circumstances and receive no exposure at all.
The BBC should not engage in tabloid style journalism - period. This isn't about the popularity of your website; this is about your professionalism in meeting the needs of all your audience. You are not on air to sell yourselves to an audience - you are on air to meet the needs of every single person who funds you. That means you must be selective in what you show and how long you devote to what you show.
I have lost count of the number of interesting but terminated interviews you have on your news programmes because you have a schedule to keep to. And yet, for this young woman, you felt able to change your scheduling. That was, IMO, an unprofessional decision in keeping with your rapidly declining standards.
This isn't about Jade Goody - it is about how you fail to honour your responsibilities to your bigger audience because you are incapable of being our National, public funded, broadcaster. Stand apart from your commercial opponents or become one of them and give us back our license fees. You cannot have it both ways.
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Same old story: you do something a bit rubbish... people complain.... you explain why you were right all along. Come on BBC, what about a bit of humility?
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I thought coverage was appropriate, no complaints here.
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I've no objection to the covering of the news though I would question wether the BBC needs to have it as a leading story - unlike the other news agencies you dont have the commercial advertising requirements that might force such a story up the pecking order elsewhere. As a result I'd have thought you could and should take a more measured approach to the value of certain stories such as this.
If the rest of the networks and web sites want to lead with it to get eyeballs on the screen let them do so, but at least provide the rest of us with one news outlet where this sort of celebrity news takes a back seat to other more important issues.
Regardless of that, do we really need Have Your Say turned into mini condolence books each time a 'celebrity' dies?
Its hardly a subject for 'debate' or opinions, and each time one is opened anyone attempting to question the need for them is derided as being disrespectful to whichever celebrity is the subject of that particular one.
At very least you could provide us with a HYS where we can debate wether they're appropriate subject for HYS or not.
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Unfortunately your coverage was very one sided. Jade was a divisise figure but this has been mentioned in passing or not at all in the broadcasts I have seen. Be careful with your "millions" comments. 100 flowers at the grave so far most from camera chasers.
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I'm sorry but the coverage of Jade Goody was really over the top.
Not only by the BBC but by every other TV and radio channel. Not only that but after seeing it the first time and not wanting to see it again I switched over and every other channel seemed to be covering the same story all at the same time.
Sunday was Mother's day which is a nice family day out and the last thing anyone needede was a day full of death every time they wanted to hear the news.
Perhaps the next time we can have a short announcement and the voyeurs can watch the rest by pressing the red button.
The economy might be depressing but not as much as the incessant funerals and memorials we have been subjected too lately. In full too.
Perhaps there should be another channel for those who like to watch such things.
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I turned over to BBC News on Sunday morning at 10am - this was the lead story and the coverage continued for several minutes. The fact that she had died was not unexpected so I don't see why so many minutes should be devoted to the story. Compare the coverage in the newspapers today, The Telegraph gave 1/2 page, while The Mirror gave over the front page, several following pages, and an 8 page centre set. BBC News behaved like a red top in the coverage yesterday - there are plenty of media outlets that can produce this output, why does the BBC think it has to get down there with them?
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What annoyed me most was having to hear this in Australia on the BBC World Service as lead story. It has no public interest overseas except for confirming the decline of the BBC as a reputable broadcaster. How embarrassing that the Foreign Office is funding the BBC World Service to cover a reality star. How does this promote the UKs "world view"? I find NPR and Deutsche Welle much more informative now and it is sad to see the way the BBC is headed.
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Quite frankly I'm sick of hearing that celeb X has X disease, terminal or otherwise.
The focus is never on the ordinary persons with the same disease and when said ordinary people die of said diseases nobody bats an eyelid.
And all too often "celebs" like Ms Goody are only publicising their lives because they cannot get anywhere near the amount of money they do by working in a supermarket on a till, which lets face it, would be where Ms Goody would have been working had Endemol not selected her for Big Brother.
As much as a death is sad I don't feel any sorrow or sympathy for the family of Ms Goody, they have made a tidy profit from her when she was alive and I'm sure they will carry on doing so for a while yet.
Nor do I respect Ms Goody for how she went about her life before or since Big Brother. It is just a shame that the "general public" and media are dumb enough to keep buying into the worship of vaccuous "celebs" who don't contribute to society in the least.
The BBC should also be ashamed of endorsing such a person and her family by continually running stories about her.
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Peter:
To the revisement of my comments # 3.... I thought coverage was appropriate, no complaints here.
~Dennis Junior~
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I felt the BBC coverage was ok, although I personally didn't want to hear about it, for the BBC to ignore it would be foolish - people were interested, and it was led by the tabloids
it was a legitimate story in that sense
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Most of the complaints were probably from the chattering classes who probably don't appreciate that millions of people are interested in Jade.
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Somewhat disingenuous.
JG was a good time filler for rolling news. That's why the story rolled. Imv.
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#20
I don't think that anyone, who have been complaining about the media coverage, is saying that the media (not just the BBC, as you say) should have ignored Ms Goody's death, just that it wasn't headline news and certainly didn't warrant top story ranking that much of the media gave it, nor the style of the coverage - much of which has been orchestrated by her publicist (on the promise of access to other celebs?..) to her exposure rather than as a platform to debate the issues around cancer screening and treatment etc.
I really do wish the BBC would make editorial decisions on Reithian rather than populist values. The BBC should, 'due to the special way it's funded', be providing what the commercial media industry can't provide, it should not be trying to imitate the commercial media industry...
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#23
Yes you're probably correct, it's not as though there was anything else occurring in the world last weekend, there had been no meeting of EU political leaders, Obama hadn't announced further US policy changes, there hadn't been a (bloodless) coup in Madagascar etc. - yes, there really wasn't any other news that could have filled the many pages of newsprint or scripts - a good fill story to pad a quite weekend out, my ar...
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I increasingly take it as a cue to turn off the news as nothing important is happening in the world.
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Have you seen how many moderated comments there are in have your say on this issue? It's over 1 in 4 rejected and the 'discussion' itself is only people saying how great they think Jade was. So much for BBC impartiality.
I went to a funeral yesturday for a colleague who commited suicide due to personal problems but contributed so much to the school as he took a class of students with learning difficulties and taught them brick laying etc.
Where is his story on the BBC?
You ask what legacy Jade left? Her legacy is that you don't need to work hard at life or educate yourself all you need to do is go on reality TV show as much ignorance as possible and you will be rewarded with fame and fortune.
A sad indictment of British society. The Jade story is a non story and should never of been aired. Shame on you BBC.
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Peter,
Jade Goody's death was the lead story on the Radio 4's 0900 news on Sunday morning. I would seriously question this editorial decision. Most of Radio 4's audience do not read the tabloids or celebrity magazines, nor do they watch Big Brother or other similar programmes. Such people are not interested in people such as Ms Goody, and they expect Radio 4 to report serious news, not celebrity froth. The BBC now has several different channels targeted at audiences who are clearly very interested in tabloid celebrities, such as Radio 1 and BBC 3. Ms Goody’s death was presumably prominently reported and discussed on these channels, and rightly so.But not on Radio 4. This is not what its audience is interested in or cares about.
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I am sickened by the desperation of the media/people in this country to jump onto the vicarious grief bandwagon.
Just when you thought the world was running out of stupid, entertainment "news" jumps in to save the day.
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rad6380 - what are you talking about? You can't compare Jade Goody and Natasha Richardson. One had talent and one was a media prostitute. In case you don't know, Natasha had talent.
The sad fact is that in the BBC and the rest of the media reporting this story they are giving the public what they want. Unfortunately, it is evidence of the mentalities and intelligence of the modern population when someone like Jade Goody, with no intellect ot talent, from dubious background, a consort of criminals, is elevated to lofty celebrity status.
Without the OK readers of this world, Jade Goody would be what she really was and should have been all along - a nobody.
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#28
[ re BBC Radio 4 at 09:00hrs reporting Ms Goody's death as it's lead ]
Yes I heard it to, just before hitting the off button! As for your comment about who listens to R4, I'm sorry to say that it seems that the BBC (especially in that time-slot on Sundays) is trying to attract the very people you suggest will not be listening...
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A National Day of Mourning would be appropriate?
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Report it. But do not distort it. Ms Goody's death did not deserve top billing, nor an article (or more) seemingly every day for the fortnight before. Nor did it require billing on the international version of the BBC web site or on BBC World news coverage (except perhaps in India!).
Perhaps you need an Obituaries section?
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#33
"Perhaps you [the BBC] need an Obituaries section?"
Great idea! It's actually noticeable by it's absence now you mention it, most if not all quality newspaper (at least) have such a page, why can't the BBC have such a section?
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8 wrote:
'And there is another thing about Jade... although she may have said some very unsavoury things (in my view, probably more the result of immaturity than racism), she actually showed some remorse for her bad attitudes.'
Being a cynic I would put this down more to the fact that she was advised by her money people that it was best to show contrition if she wanted the money to keep rolling in and regain popularity with the masses. Anyone can say sorry if it suits them to do so.
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Hello,
If you claim that this entire circus was primarily moved by the cancer awareness then I would like to see BBC raising awareness to other cancers and covering the lives of people who are in hospital or in the community battling the disease as well.
Jade had no choice other than fighting and in fact it is well know that if she had been careful with herself and done her smear tests and treat the cancer cells before they turned into cancer, she would probably still be here today.
I lost my father to cancer, he was 49 and had acute leukaemia. He died in a month without a choice and left me and a 13 year old boy. I understand you wouldn’t care about us because you don’t know us but as us there are plenty of other children, young adults, mothers and fathers who also lost a loved one and no one ever cared to report it or raise the subject.
Then BBC, you wonder why some of us are sick of Jade’s story.
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Not newsworthy, especially to a BBC World News viewer. If you're after popularity, as you suggest, then you shouldn't pretend to be a news organisation. Decide which business you are in and stick to just that please.
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I watch BBC to keep my family and myself in touch with key trends in UK culture. To wit, Jade Goody.
For news I prefer France 24 and my local Polish TV stations.
For propaganda I watch Russia Today.
But to become infuriated I watch Andrew Marr!
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Lord O' Mighty! Once again the Human race never fails to let itself down!!!
Half the people on this 'comments' page seem to have totally miss-understood the reason the media have reported so heavily on Jades illness and, sadly, passing.
The 1st reason is, obvioulsy, whether you loved her or loathed her Jo Public found her interesting in one way or another. The girl form South London who, despite what you may think, made something of herself. A great rags to riches story. And she did it by playing the media at their own game (as I've mentioned on a previous blog).
The other reason is Jade used this manipulation to the last by allowing the media to follow her until she was too weak to continue, thus making a small fortune to secure her families future AND (may I hasten to add) make millions on young women realise how important it is to have regular screenings in the hope that at least one person can avoid the same pain and suffering the Jade and her family went through. Hands up those who WOULD NOT do the same given the chance?!
The final reason is (for you ignorant fools) she was 27 and in the public eye! If it had been (God forbid) someone of the same age, with 2 young children but they had come from (for arguments sake) the Royal Family then most of the negative comments on this blog would not exist!
Another case of the ignorant minority with their upper middle class views looking down at the minnows!
I've never really had an opinion on Jade. I wouldn't say I was a fan but on the other hand I didn't find her offensive nor harmful. Her silly comment that was much publicised as being racist was a flipant remark which was clearly twisted to sell papers. She publicly apologised and re-built her bridges. More than most of us can do on a day to day basis.
Why can't people just keep their own opinions to themselves in times like this and just say "what a sad story. Such a young girl...." - No. Instead they have to pass negative comments on someone who tried to better themselves but didn't quite cut the mustard or make the grade for certain sectors within this so called human race! Or do you just write this garbage in the hope that some publisher will think "Wow! There's a future star!" so that you in turn can grab your 5 minutes of fame?! Only difference being is that there are few and far between Jade Goody's in this world and those who make negative remarks about a dying young mother, wife, daughter and friend are not one of them! So be proud of your comments. Look down at the Jade's of this world. Go about your business and may you be happy. But I sincerely hope, nay pray, that you, one day, do not find yourself or those who are close to you in a similar position and that if you did, others around do not find it as easy to pass negative comments.
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I was amazed to hear a discussion item on the 'Today' programme on Monday morning with Jade Goody as the subject. If I had been able to get proper reception on another station on sometimes listen to that would have been it for 'Today' that day.
I certainly hope she does not get a mention on 'Last Word'. More worthy people will have died this week.
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I'm always a little concerned if (even part) validation for a story is the number of people who've read it on the website. Does this lady's story sell millions of newspapers and magazines? Undoubtedly. There is a public interest. But that doesn't mean that BBC News has to follow those values. I daresay that if BBC News offered a "soap" category it would be very popular. That wouldn't make it appropriate.
Clearly this was a story worthy of coverage, but that coverage should have been more limited.
Indeed overall, I think the "most read" box on the news page is a waste anyway. Inevitably many of the stories are more of the "...and finally" type. As another commenter has said, you're not required to drive page impressions and associated advertising as other newspaper sites now find themselves, driving downwards to a lowest common denominator.
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#39
"But I sincerely hope, nay pray, that you, one day, do not find yourself or those who are close to you in a similar position and that if you did, others around do not find it as easy to pass negative comments."
I suspect that some of the comments regarding this issue are from people who have been in such a position... There are many sad stories, how many other 20 year olds (or older, but still some child's mother or father) also died in the last week or so.
The point that people are making is a simple one that you don't seem to have grasped, this was NOT news - that is not to say that it should not have been reported - just that it was not headline news, it should not have been the lead story on the main BBC TV or radio news channels or programmes, there were other far more important news stories around, had this been one of the other Big Brother contestants I suspect that there would have been no more than a couple of lines give over to report it. It's very sad that so many people (and I include news editors here) are to ignorant to understand how they have been exploited on the pretext of cancer awareness.
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OK then, for those who feel that the BBC should be spending their licence payers money and reporting on why another MP has bought a 3rd Jag' or not paying Council tax on his or hers 2nd home in Chelsea (something that won't change nor can we do anything about)....
Let's put it in a different context.
If the coverage of Jade Goody saves just one life from a similar fate, would it then still be deemed over exposed or, indeed, a waste of the BBC's time?
No! I think would be the general answer. So, as stated above. If you think that those with genuine human emotions would rather listen to the BBC waffle on about kilo's vs inches in the hope it may save a life then you do indeed have a brain the size of an ameba and a heart with the chemical make up as that of a diamond! Also, as a human being, other than emotion and empathy you also have the luxury of choice. This allows you to either turn the TV off or over and also the option of what you choose to read. I suggest you excercise this priviledge before making heartless statments such as why the BBC are 'wasting their time' on Jade Goody coverage.
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3Dots (number 40)- please quantify you're statment "more worthy people" without using the words money, power or social status.
Is a known 27 year mother of 2 who sadly passed away from Cancer not "worthy" of news headlines then?
Boilerplated - Whether or not it was news headlines or not is a matter of opinion (we all pay taxes and licence fees). As I stated, by giving it a headline slot whose to say whether or not it saved a life!
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#43
You last paragraph exposes your weak argument...
Report cancer awareness by all means, don't report on every twist and turn of some third rate celeb (known for all the wrong reasons) who happens to be suffering from cancer. By all means mention the celeb whilst reporting on cancer awareness, don't mention cancer awareness whilst reporting on the life and times of a celeb.
In other words, the focus of the reporting was around the wrong way.
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It just goes to show how low the BBC has sunk, if I wanted to know about z list nobodies (which I don't) I would buy hello magazine or the sun and read about them there, or watch sky news.
Fair enough report the story but blanket coverage and broadcasting news of her passing to the other side of the world is quite frankly ridiculous.
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
45
[ re "more worthy people" ]
How many column inches were given over to Natasha Richardson compared to that of Jade Goody, or pick any of the recent people mentioned in the Obituaries section of the Telegraph or where ever newspaper, people who actually knew which country East Anglia is in - remind us again just what Ms Jade Goody actually did in her life...
[ re headline status ]
Please see by earlier comment at #46, reporting on cancer awareness would probably save more lives than wrapping mention of the subject up in a report about some third-rate celeb as less people will be switching off (literally and metaphorically speaking)!
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I am distraught such a talented woman has been taken from us. She gave pleasure to millions. Jade was a true star.
I can not wait to see the film of her wonderful life.
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/newsbeat/newsid_7961000/7961224.stm
As I write, this: http://news.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/hi/newsbeat/newsid_7961000/7961224.stm
is the most popular news story on the bbc website. according to the same reasoning given in the blog to the goody coverage I have to ask, WHY isnt this being promoted more by the bbc? why isnt the boy in question having his lifestory and his legacy to the history of art being given its own article in the arts entertainments section? Really bbc, after your peerless coverage of the tragic Goody case, this is shabby journalism.
(
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My son died age 34 after three years fighting cancer he was my hero. I have an idea what Jade goody suffered.
I believe she embarrassed herself and let the media intrude on these horrible private moments for two reasons.
First she felt desperate about providing a future for her son's which was all she could do once she realised that she probably had no future. She must have gone through torture worrying about their future. I think people should realise that what she did must have taken not just courage but the kind of grit I am not sure I would have.
The second reason she wanted to raise awareness, and she did, she probably saved many young lives.
All I can say is we should all be grateful for the fact that she has and will save many more lives. If this takes watching a person being treated then so be it.
This may also make the government realise what terminal cancer patients go through financially and emotionally and give them more help.
She hopefully found peace with her God and comfort from the fact that her children were baptised, God bless her, I believe her motives were the best.
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@ post #32 - I'm sorry, are you serious?!
How about a national day of mourning for the people who suffer from cancer of all forms in silence and don't prostitute themselves to the media in order to make a quick buck and don't consort with the minor criminal elements of the society in this country.
Furthermore I find it extremely obscene that people in this country are more interested in such a non-entity as Ms Goody to the extent that the media wish to feed us the tripe they do.
We have people out in Afghanistan and Iraq fighting a war they arguably should not be fighting, many of which die every day, they only get a short 5 minute segment if they get any coverage at all!
This country needs to get it's priorities right and stop worshipping people who do not contribute at all to society and have no reason whatsoever for being "famous" and stop allowing themselves to have their intelligence drained at birth!
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Reading some of the above comments I am disgusted that so few people can see the good this young woman has done with her life and her death. Comments like "a more worthy person" and "the death of other celebrities are more newsworthy", just make me want to state that we should all remember that not only has a young mother of two children died, but that she also has done her own wee bit to change the world for the better. More young women are going for smear tests and not just one or two, probably thousands.
It also makes me want to remind you that we are all equally worthy and you do not have the right to decide someone is more worthy than another. in short we are all Jock Tamson's bairns. We all go to the toilet which is a great leveler is it not even if one person may have a gold plated seat.
Would any of the above posters have the courage to do what she did. I wonder if any of the above perfect people have gone to the website provided and donated their organs for transplant which would save just a very few lives. Have we had a person who is having a transplant giving us a step by step of the torture these people go through, no, would you, no. Then don't criticize a person with the courage to do so until you can speak of these situations yourself.
No matter the person if they go through cancer or any other life limiting disease with that kind of courage they are heroes.
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#52
[ re the quoted URL ]
Looks like an April fools joke that got out a wee bit early to me! Looks very 'Photoshopy' to me, but yes your point stands, just because something is popular isn't the same as saying that it's news-worthy.
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@45
As I do not watch Big Brother (or any other so called reality TV) the first I heard about Jade Goody was during the racism row. At the time Big Brother was being talked about (endlessly) on BBC "breakfast" shows; I complained that there were many examples where the BBC had gone OTT with this vacuous commentary (not just related to Jade Goody) and I received a response saying that the BBC agreed.
I heard about her cervical cancer last summer on an Internet bulletin board. I am sad that this young woman died. I have a perfect right to question the BBC coverage of her story during the past months if I feel it is an abuse of their responsibility. That responsibility may rest on many questions that neither you nor I can answer. Has Jade Goody's death done anything to reduce or stem the increase in cervical cancer? That remains in the lap of the gods, rather than being linked to a woman who will soon be forgotten by those who have made her an icon. Has Jade Goody demonstrated that (as you put it) someone can make the switch from rags to riches? Well since that has been done by many people of questionable virtue I am not sure it actually matters one little bit. Is Jade Goody a good role model? That I would suggest depends on what role you aspire to. We could argue forever about her so called celebrity status.
Whilst I do not appreciate the media circus, nor the vacuous coverage of the last few months of her life, I will remember her smiling face as it appears at the top of this blog. That is not because she shows courage or bravery in the photo, it is simply because she is smiling.
I hope very much that she found peace with herself.
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Its very sad that Jade has died at such a young age and I feel so sorry for her two boys
Why does it take three weeks after her death for her to be buried
To gain even more media hype no doubt
Friend of mine died on Sunday and his funeral is Thursday coming
Its said that if her hubby gets imprisoned then he wont be able to attend her funeral; so isnt that the best reason for having it sooner rather than later
Let the poor woman rest in peace
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#55
You keep talking about all the "good this young woman has done with her life and her death", so come on just what did she do that was so unique...
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Clearly this is an emotive story and as with many such stories, people delete, distort and generalise the actual content!
However sad Jade's story is and however she got to be in a position where she could sell her story is irrelevant to this thread...
The BBC should not have,in my opinion (as a license payer) given so much weight to a story that was and will still be covered for quite some time...
The BBC as I understand it to be is unique, diverse and more importantly global.... As was pointed out quite rightly, there were a few "other" things going on too that day...
Stick to the topic and if you feel that Jade's story was not over exposed then I'm sorry, a lot of us do not agree and wish the BBC woudl do something about it.....
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#39
We are complaining about editorial choices, not making a personal attack on Ms. Goody. See if you can work out the difference.
Oh, and see if you can make your incredibly simple point in less than 500 words - seems like you are the one looking for attention.
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As our public service broadcaster, paid for by the public, your job is to report the news. I cannot see that just because the tabloid newspapers and second rate TV stations that make so called "reality tv celebrities" report on these people that it is the job of the BBC to join in.
You really need to up your game. You need to spend more time and money on serious matters, like health, and when it comes to entertainment cover talented people who actually made a difference, like Natasha Richardson.
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jade hasn been realy strong for a woman, she excersised lots of courage i admired her. take of her sons.
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If I hear another story about Jack Tweedy going out with his pals or promising to mend his ways I think I might do something I'll later regret. The stunt wth the ladies frilly undies I thought was beyond the pale. It is all the hangers on such as her thuggish, feckless partner and Max Clifford that really disgust me. What dubious ploys will they now use to keep themselves in the public eye now that the circus wagon they were riding on has stopped rolling.
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#63
So have a lot of women, Anita Roddick for example. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think what you (and others) are actually grappling to say is that you identified with Ms Goody - no shame in that, but it doesn't make her unique and it's just doesn't make her death newsworthy beyond a basic mention of the fact, and certainly not as a leading story.
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I really cannot understand how some people consider this a "non story". How many comments would the BBC receive if it did not report it ? For reasons good, bad and indifferent , Jade Goody was news worthy. I am often critical of the BBC for the way it reports some items of news ( political ) but to not report them at all is too ridiculous for words.
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#66
I really cannot understand how some people consider this a "non story".
No one has said that it was a non story, just that it didn't warrant it's placing in the running order or the fact that it was reported on the BBC external services.
As for being newsworthy, sorry I disagree to some extent, there are many people who have died, who did far more with their lives than Jade Goody did who never get a mention never mind be headline/lead story news.
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Someone compared the response to Ms Goody's coverage to say if it had been a member of royalty. Let's assume it was Prince William, then it does become a major headline. This is not snobbery but a matter of simple fact. It would also carry significance to the whole world.
Raising cancer awareness is a good thing - but is not a precursor to news.
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@33 R4 has a very good obituaries programme, rather hidden away at 4pm on Friday afternoons: Last Word. But I agree the website could do with an equivalent.
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We are currently fighting wars in two countries and have been doing so for longer than the Second World War lasted. Yet most of us have no idea what is actually happening out there - how many can even point to Helmand on a map? Instead, our news bulletins are filled with celebrity-driven nonsense, which keeps us in the dark.
I would therefore rather see the time and journalistic effort of our public service broadcaster spent on finding out and conveying what is happening out there, rather than wasted on "analysis" of the passing of a minor celebrity. We are at war and deserve to know what is happening and why; service personnel are dying out there and every one of them has led a far more remarkable life than Jade Goody. The war should be the top news story every day, until it ends. That would be real journalism.
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TO BE HONEST.....i think what she done was very brave and also very clever not olnly did she open up and gave room for people to slate her whilst she was going through such a tough time....imagin if it was you knowing must be the hardest part!....but jade also made a huge ammount of money to make sure her children who she has to leave behind have the best they can she is still provideing the up most for then even when she is not here and that the boys can treasure forever along with memory and tributes that jade made possible in the public eye.
at the end of the day that family needed our support and the majority of the british nation gave that....she is in no more pain and i just hope that the public eye and tabloids dont put those boys through anymore pain than they need to.
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The beeb should be a standard against which our other broadcasters and media can be judged, free from the advertiser driven ratings game the others find themselves in.
If you can't or wont deliver that then why are we paying for your continued existance? Go take your chances in that commercial market and give us back our money.
After all if you walk like a commercial broadcaster and talk like a commercial broadcaster..
As for those who continue to argue that the Jade Goody coverage "helped her raise money to provide for her sons future" I wouldn't have thought the beebs coverage raised one brass hapenny. Her cash was from OK or Hello and interviews paid for by the commercial networks, so if anything the coverage on the beeb would have eaten into that revenue - providing those wanting to indulge themselves in some second-hand mourning the chance to do so without paying for the tacky tribute magazines etc.
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I thought the coverage on BBC News 24 on Sunday was apt. Jade has obviously been at the forefront of news coverage for the last few months and her tragic death was obviously the top story for that morning.
I was also in favour of the way the BBC ran through Jade's life in the limelight, not putting her on a pedestal as "St Jade" but showing the bad side of her as well as the loving mother and dying reality TV star.
News is news, whether it is about the death of a celebrity or a dodgy politician and all should be reported.
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#70
Certainly agree with the sentiment of your comment if not the detail.
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Very sad that anyone dies of cancer at such a young age but please leave extensive coverage of this type of 'event' to websites such as The Sun.
Yes it is news and should be mentioned, but not taking up a quarter of the front page of the BBC website.
And her death was listed under 'entertainment' by the way.
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#72
Very well said, especially your last paragraph. As it is, most people didn't need Ms Goody to raise their awareness of cancer, what she actually did was to divert attention from cancer awareness - after all we are talking here about Ms Goody awareness and the media and not having a wider debate on cancer/treatment etc. - it is only amongst those who live in the Reality/celeb' bubble who seemingly need such awareness pointing out, on the other hand if they were not living in that media industry induced bubble...
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#73
Sorry but I've already been pointed out (#25) that there was far more important things occurring in the world, it was most certainly NOT the obvious top story for that morning. I do wish people would open their eyes to what is happening in the world, and quite often being done in their name...
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To all those out there who think reports of her death were greatly exaggerated - what a sanctimonuous lot you are! It's about a young mother dying young in fact dying at any age particularly from cancer!
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I rarely respond to people's stupidity as I have better things to do, but when I read in the Daily Mail the comment of one person 'let OK,Hello and Sky deal with the frivolities of life...' on the BBC coverage of her illness and tragic death, I hope that person never experiences the horror of what Jane Goody endured with grace and dignity, in public at least.
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Two things we might take from the rise and fall of Jade: one, that everyone is worth something; no-one is worthless. Two, that when the man said a sure way to get rich is by making a fool of yourself in public, he was right. The media have decently implied the first, but do far too little to help us ponder the second.
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#77
I couldn't agree with you more that there are so much more important things going on around the worls, however I believe that many of these complaints are down to the reason for this young lady's fame.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a Goody fan, however I feel that if it had been the death of a more intellectual or credible celebrity, there wouldn't be this much debate on the amount of reporting.
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#78
Some people really do need a reality check, anyone would think that Ms Goody's death was unique, it wasn't, thousands die each week - many from the same cancers - are you really suggesting that the media should report one and all (never mind doing so as their lead story)!
When Elvis Presley or John Lennon died (for example) and got the Headline news status they had actually done something in their lives, it's sanctimonious twaddle to suggest that Jade Goody was on such a level, the only people who believe that are those so besotted with her that they can't see the bigger picture and those who feed of such people.
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#79
Well my father died of brain cancer, OK so his best years were long past but he was still my father (so I have experienced and nursed such horrors, as you describe them), but I for one agree with those who have said that - beyond reporting the basic facts - such detailed and in-depth coverage of Jade Goody should have been left to magazines such as OK or Hello or the daily rag-tops.
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To # 82
I don't need a reality check I live in the real world nor am I besotted particularly as I'm in remission but maybe have unconfirmed secondaries. I just have compassion and I actually feel sorry for people like you who are clearly besotted with themselves and have no compassion or feeling for your fellow "man"! You will feel differently if it ever happens to you as the saying goes when you walk in my shoes then you can comment.
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I am really disgusted at readings some of the Blogs on here in ref to jade goody.
She may of not been that popular when she was alive, considering her upbringing, she was an ordinary person as like me and you and tryed to make a life for herself, who would blame her thru the media.
Why was she the topic of the news on sunday?
no-one as even highlighted the fact, that she made a lot of people aware of the importance of cervical screening and this in turn will hopefully show that we need to lower the age of when screening starts.
Jade has made an impact on getting more women coming forward for screening, as opposed to, me for one being frightened about the subject
Shame on you people.....sheer ignorance!!!!!
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#84
I will take your apology as read considering that you (probably) posted that comment before being able to read my other message @83, I don't need to be lectured by anyone as to the affects of (terminal) cancer on the sufferer or their families.
Don't get me wrong, I have much compassion for Ms Goody's family, especially her children, but that doesn't change the fact that her death was not headline news, her death was no more newsworthy than Wendy Richards death was - needs a mention but certainly not the leading news item on the day (correct me if I'm wrong), admittedly Wendy Richards did get a special programme.
This blog is about editorial decision making;
"While millions of you have followed our coverage of the
death of reality TV star Jade Goody, some of you have contacted
us to question the appropriateness of our carrying the story."
[The first paragraph of this blog]
The fact that you don't seem able to see the difference between a discussion about the media industry and their editorial decision making and a discussion about cancer care/treatment/family-life goes to show that you are the one who is getting reality mixed up, probably not helped by an apparent liberal dose of hero worship as well.
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#85
"sheer ignorance!!!!!"
You took the words out of my mouth, now scroll back to the top and actually read what is being disgussed, what the blog is actually about...
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With regard should it have been headline news then personally I don't think so.
But theres a few linked questions
Why is it that somebody with no talent, no looks to speak of and little inteligence should become so important to some people they feel the need to buy products endorsed by them, read stories about them. ??
Is she as well liked as the papers are trying to portray ?? I know one major newspaper edits any hint of negativity towards her on there website.
But as much as I think its wrong that she became famous and a millionaire on top, you can't really blame her for it.
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If Jade Goody made one person go for cancer screening, fair enough, but it also shows how fickle our society has become. She was no hero. Cancer sadly is an every day part of our lives, it is doubtful if there is a family in the UK that has not been touched by it. There are thousands' of people in the UK who suffer from this curse, yet they get on with their treatment with little or no publicity, often spending their last few days/weeks in a hospice, which receives little or no government funding. The BBC and the media's coverage was over the top not to mention nauseating at times. I am genuinely sad that a young person lost her life in the way she did, and I am sorry that a mother saw a daughter die. But these things happen in life.
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The BBC coverage was appropriate given the lack of other major news stories when it was leading the corporation's news output.
I can't say I particularly had any attraction to Jade's celebrity lifestyle or feel an overwhelming sense of remorse as I didn't know her personally. However, the fact stands though that the number of enquiries being made at GPs surgeries has increased sharply because of her decision to keep the cameras rolling. This decision might have ultimately been to try and raise money for her children's future but having watched a few episodes of her documentary the courage she showed real opened my eyes to how horrible this disease is.
Those who have watched any of the series or read her very open and frank interviews would of course then shown an interest in her fight to the bitter end as I was.
There will always be news stories that won't be of interest to everybody but this was clearly the story people wanted to hear most about on that day. This is something people that are complaining should just learn to deal with... it can't be as bad as having cervical cancer after all can it?
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Anyone who complained against the article was obviously a complete fool. If you've lived in the UK 2 years or more then it is quite apparent how the media works. At least half the population has a morbid curiosity and indeed a fascination in celebrity of some kind.
Bad news sells... anyone who doesn't know this needs their intelligence examined.
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ok first of all everyone that said the broadcasting of jades life was bad need to look hard at there lifes and as for saying that the death of Natasha Richardson was worse then jades death you really need to look at your life because how does a woman who knows the dangers of skiing doing it for fun and you think that is alot worse then omeone dying of cancer then your very sad everything that jade did was so her children could have a good life too all that thought jade trying ot make a better time of her life while she could trivial then you should be shammed of yourselfs and how can you call yourself a human being i hope this stays on this site and that you all take a hard look at things
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
Just a few notes on this item.
* A dying mother doing her best for her children is a basic instinct
* Ignoring medical advice is usually dumb unless you have a second opinion.
* Appearing on reality TV requires stupidity or a very tough skin.
* Wanting to live life in the glare of the media is abnormal behaviour.
* Screening increases the chance of detection but doesn't guarantee it.
The media created the Jade Goody who died last weekend. It seems that they were prepared to milk the story for all it was worth by way of investment they had made. That is morally abhorrent.
Perhaps BBC News, collectively, needs to consult a decent psychiatrist before accepting indefinite voluntary admission. I am sure they will find much more worthwhile stories to tell inside a long term psychiatric unit.
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Wall to wall coverage is all very well, but other topics are dismissed, and hundreds of thousands of irate viewers have taken a keen interest in the Daniel Hannan speech, bringing our Priminister to task for the mishandling of the economy yet there has been no mention of this on the news anywhere.
The Jade Goody story has dominated the news and general media far too much. Saturation level has been reached, but a good political story like Hannans speech is buried , why?
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#90
"The BBC coverage was appropriate given the lack of other major news stories when it was leading the corporation's news output."
Sorry but that is total rubbish, there was plenty of international news that could have and should have been reported above this, Ms Goody's death was in all reality a minority story by world news standards - only relevant to her fans, friends and family - just because the UK is an island it doesn't mean that our news organisations should ignore what is happening in the rest of the world.
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#91
"Bad news sells... anyone who doesn't know this needs their intelligence examined."
Very true for the commercial media but this blog is about what the BBC did, and as the BBC don't need to sell (being funded in there "unique way") they don't need to submit themselves to the same lowest common denominators as the commercial media do - anyone who doesn't know this needs their intelligence examined...
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#92
I my opinion it's those who are besotted with a third rate celeb's that need to take a long hard look at ones life, the rest of us are already living in the real world thanks - when did you last contribute to either cancer research or a Hospice?...
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A young woman gets cancer and dies, leaving a young family behind. This is very sad, but not unique and certainly not deserving of the vast amounts of coverage it got on what it was admitted was a 'slow news day'. Basically, you talked about Jade Goody becasue you had nothing better to say. How very illuminating.
The blog says, "we have to bear in mind those licence fee payers who have a strong level of interest and who expected us to provide measured coverage of her death". But WHY were they interested? Becasue outlets like the BBC had shoved her down the throats of the public, that's why. Even people like me, who didn't have any interest, couldn't escape from it. The posturing here reminds me of Paul Weller's rather prescient lyrics from Going Underground, 'The public wants what the public gets'.
To be fair though, I do think the accusation levelled at the BBC that it was the TV equivalent of the Daily Mirror was a bit off the mark. That's ITV News' job. Lots of the BBC's output is starting to be like listening to the Daily Mail (take Jermey Vine's Radio 2 show for example. Please)
Perhaps some people have forgotten that 'the public interest' is not the same as, 'the public might be interested'.
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I fail to understand the spurious justification of the coverage by saying that it raises awareness of cancer and screening. The media could, any time it liked, devote acres of coverage to these issues if they feel that the public would benefit from it. They do not need to wait for someone to die first.
The brutal truth is that Jade was used to sell magazines, books, perfume, and who knows what else. Her blundering ignorance struck a chord with people and the media profited massively from holding it up as a form of entertainment. Her death shifted magazines and newspapers and most of this tawdry spectacle was justified by saying that it 'raised awareness'. She was complicit in this choice, sure - who wouldn't be seduced by an easy life? But she paid the highest of prices. It cost her her soul, her dignity and maybe even her life. Maybe if she had been a hairdresser in Bermondsey she'd still be alive today. The media did the same with Britney Spears. Baited her, papped her, snapped her. Pushed her and pushed her until she nearly committed suicide. The celeb magazines must have been drooling at the thought of 'tribute specials'. Luckily it never happened, but these vile media must be curtailed. The selfishness of the media was remarked upon by Earl Spencer when Princess Diana died in 1997. Maybe those in the media need to think about what he said. There is still blood on their hands.
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59
You ask what good this young woman did with her life and death.
When any person, is diagnosed with cancer, the ordeal of allowing cameras to follow your life and your treatment is or would be horrendous. This young woman gave just an insight into the life of any person going through the treatment for cancer, but believe me this was well edited they did not show the worst moments of depression and fears and pain.
This young woman I have no doubt has increased the donations to cancer charities. Normally in our country, pet charities take in three x the total of cancer charities. We are to say the least a very strange country, in which, children can die of cancer or be abused while our stray animals live in luxury.
We have a huge problem in this country with young people having unprotected sex, if these programs make even one young woman reconsider then the chances are her life will be saved. Cervical cancer can be passed by unprotected sex. Unprotected sex also creates pregnancy, STDs and Aids.
We now have thousands more women going for smear tests, potentially thousands of lives saved.
Could you do this, this takes courage and a great deal of thought beforehand.
Is that enough to go on with?
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# 86
I wasn't apologising just giving my opinion which I'm entitled to as you are but some people out there seem to think "headline" news should be cherry-picked! We do live in a democracy so I'm told by my son-in-law and if the media choose to lead with Jade's untimely death that's fine by me! There are many leading news items I do question in my mind but it's called "FREEDOM OF THE PRESS"! And as they say, there's always the off button if you don't want to watch or don't buy the papers either!
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#101
"Is that enough to go on with?"
Sorry, no, as most of it is sanctimonious clap-trap.
Rather than repeat many of the same comments please read the comment @ #100, but as that person said, if the media wanted to raise 'cancer awareness' (or any other issue for that matter) they didn't need to do it in Jade Goody's name - in fact had they bothered to do so in the past perhaps even Jade Goody (never mind all the others who have died, of the same awful illness, but go unmentioned by the media) would still be alive.
The vast majority of the media saw Ms Goody's fate as a cash-cow, that they could exploit whilst disguising it as 'concern', "cancer awareness" - and as a last resort - "it's in the public interest". Ask yourself why they showed not one jot of interest in the subject before and it would not surprise me that within couple of months the word "cancer" doesn't get printed again - until the next cash-cow 'celeb' succumbs to what ever.
As for the BBC giving over so much editorial space and air-time, it's a shame that they feel that they need to follow rather than lead, especially - had they wanted to lead on a "celeb" story - there was another (worthy) celeb' who had died a day or so previous from a head injury caused by a type of accident/injury that many do not fully understand the seriousness of and thus needs awareness of it built...
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I've only just noticed this entry.
The complaint I have is that the 8.30 sports bulletin last Sunday was delayed to accommodate a "Friend of Jade Goody", and then BBC News wouldn't show any footage of Andy Murray beating Roger Federer in the said bulletin.
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When did Max Clifford become news editor of the BBC ? Whilst most people rightly feel saddened by the death of a young mother, you allowed your organisation to move from a news outlet to a tabloid. "Brave Jade gets married" "Brave Jade goes home" etc etc are headlines created by a pr campaign for purely financial gain. Come on BBC a little prospective in future.
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I absolutely hate football and everything about it, a feeling shared by lots of people but we tolerate the media coverage on a daily basis. I have followed the Jade story and I thought the coverage was informative, as I and many others have followed her fight against cancer, so learn to tolerate as we do.
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#103
"...but some people out there seem to think "headline" news should be cherry-picked.....there's always the off button..."
Exactly, headlines should not be cherry picked, all things being equal the news about a third rate celeb dyeing (and not even unexpectedly) would have got an 'and also' mention or perhaps top placement within the entertainment news - not top headlining on the main national and international news - even Natasha Richardson didn't get that headline on the day she pasted away if I remember correctly and she was an internationally known and respected actress who died relativity suddenly.
As for the off button, yes, if you don't like real news then the off button is there to be used, you can always read your copy of 'OK' or 'Hello' magazine!
Regarding the apology, no, I was actually suggesting that you owed me an apology for your rather offensive (implied) comment about my apparent lack of knowledge of the effects of cancer, as I said, you had probably not read my comment about my father dying from brain cancer before submitting the comment.
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I'm disappointed that Jade did not have a box camera.
Still at least we have Mr. Tweedy's story to look forward to, as well as that of the mother,cat and fly on the wall.
Oh that's right.... we've had the fly on the wall several times.
It's worrying that it takes this amount(and it's kind) of news coverage for cervical cancer assessments to rise.
It was the same with Kylie wasn't it ??
It seems we need a ''celebrity'' death/crisis for every part of the body to raise awareness...and then they will forget,don't bother.
OK you ''celebs'' hands up.../and ''out of the hat for meningitis is
...
...
...
(you need that pause these days it seems)
...''
Then there is the next generation and so on and on...
Are today's kids totally at sleep. Is their world ''real''?
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Sure it's difficult to agree with the greed driven objectives that the young lady had for herself before she knew she was ill. It's repulsive to think of the way she exploited her own death and funeral to make even more money. However,she did not create the conditions in British society which allow people like her and those such as Channel 4 and Max Clifford to exploit the consuming public for profit.The social problems in our society,especially the kinds of behaviour so many regard as entertainment leave us light years behind other modern European societies in terms of sophistication.Basically, with exceptions we are a society of unsophisticated consumers who have so little intelligence with which to appreciate the finer qualities of life we resort to the lowest common denominator and that is why, as many of your bloggers have noted, we regard the passing of a piece of plastic tinsel as more newsworthy than the passing of a genuine star.
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Would the moderators kindly explain why my post at #102 has been referred to them, only to be likely refused entry tho this discussion when I have said exactly what Boilerplated has said in post #104!
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The issue is bigger than simply Goody. The issue is the banalization of new on the BBC - BBC news 24 is now worse than Sky - content is aimed at a banal audience - 26 minutes out of 34 for Goody in a new edition reflects this descend into the grime of non-news.
Britain today is obsessed with non-events of so-called celebrities and probing details into the state of each toenail ...
I would NEVER even watch BBC "News" 24 if the World service equivalent was made available to us the tax payer/licence fee payer.
The BBC is a very very pale shadow of the channel in the seventies when creativity and intellectual reporting/radio/tv was encouraged and treasured.
today, even BBC radio 3 is now in the same gutter with Classic FM .. the greated tragedy of all to inflict this once great organization.
Only Radio 4 still carries remnants of good journalism, program and debate ..
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And what about that criminal thug of a husband she married? If that happened to anyone else, they would not have been allowed out of prison or had their prison sentence deferred.
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#108
One has to watch ALL news so that one can be objective no what the topic in order to rationalize events no what the content. Does the phrase "Man for all Seasons" mean anything? And as for knowledge of the effects of cancer, I'm sorry about your father, my daughter also went to hell and back with me too! As I said, I effectively still have a "time bomb" inside me which may or may not be diagnosed as life-threatening. So I get on with life and work too! Oh and by the way, I don't read chavy magazines!
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#107
Sorry but that comparison is a bit silly in my opinion, and I say that as someone else who couldn't care two figs about football, how many times has a football score been the lead story on the main BBC news bulletins - I don't even think that the score line of the FA or World cups (apart from possible 1966...) have achieved such a status?
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#111 "ravenmorpheus"
It's often not what you say so much as how you say it, one careless word will get a comment referred, on the other hand it has yet (at the time of writing this) not been removed so it could still appear.
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#114
You point about watching more than one or two news channels is valid (to be able to make a judgement call on such editorial decisions), on the other hand if I did only watch the BBC News Channel or Sky News I might not be so critical of either of the aforementioned channels!
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#112
[ re monitoring external news sources ]
Research movable satellite dishes and non Freesat or Sky digi boxes, using "DiSEqC" as a search term!
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in ref to Boilerplated
Have you read some of these Blogs? We dont all agree with the likes of YOU!!!
and yes i am aware of wot this blog is all about, sheer ignorance is you
Should Jade Goody be headline news? YES a lot of us are interested in this terrible disease and the headlines Jade made before her sad death
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Boilerplated, I never mentioned that football scores dominate the news; however other stories related to football have. So please in future read comments clearly before commenting. Also, considering you are not happy with the amount of coverage given to Jade or the fact that it was main headline news, you have spent a considerable amount of your "Precious" time commenting on this blog!! Do you not see that as a waste of your time?
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I think it's only a shame that the BBC saw her as a phenomenum and hence denied her humanity, forced her into the kenel of celebrity.
Now the BBC wonders the views of people outside of the business.
Is it not rather to late to wonder once the damage has already been done?
That a blog is created to ponder such a thought is proof positive of the distance the BBC has travelled since when it was first envisaged as a platform for all.
Let the girl sleep and address your own errors ...
..for surely that is what she mean by being so public at the end?
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#119
"Have you read some of these Blogs? We dont all agree with the likes of YOU!!!"
Yes, I think it's called debate. Also, if you took your care to read all the comments you would see that most people don't agree with the likes of YOU!!!
As for your other comment, then talk about cancer, stop taklking about Ms Goody...
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#112
Thank you for a perceptive look at what is wrong with the BBC encapsulated in the coverage of Jade Goody but hardly her fault or indeed anything to do with her.
The BBC is now a largely talentless parody of what it once was, and the reasons attach to a safety first attitude to appointments at senior level. The BBC has always suffered from nepotism but has been fortunate in the past to find much talent that way. Nowadays the mediocrity of broadcasters is demonstrated via the constant trading of contracts for "popular" faces between commercial rivals. This is what they wanted when broadcasting was expanded; lots of job swapping whilst the quality of programmes went into free fall with only minor exceptions. We are now getting less for more. Sure the apparent choice may look larger but scanning the schedules it is hard to find programmes that are designed for a generic audience, one of the major strengths of the BBC of the past. News has suffered too. Dumbed down to the lowest possible level it is uninformative and far too lacking in confidence to deliver accurate interesting stories in the way a wider audience would wish it to do. Gone are the razor sharp commentaries, the commentators and correspondents who don't care about popularity one little bit. It is all about "my next job", "the promotion my bland ability to toe the line will get me". They are clones, worthless slaves to a corporation.
Jade Goody was just one of a number representative of the mediocrity to which broadcasting has descended, the perfectly cast icon for an age of nonentities. Why have talent which may cost money and involve risks when the BBC can produce its own clones on the replicator (or nick them from another channel)?
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#120
"So please in future read comments clearly before commenting"
The feeling is mutual then!
Oh and please do tell us what Jade Goody did in her life, that made her so famous to deserve such headlines, did she fight for her country so that people like us can have free speech, did she invent or discover anything, did she have any award winning talent, did she ever know were East Anglia is - and the answers are - no, no, no and most probably not.
I feel very sorry that, apparently, so many people in the UK are so shallow that they have to cling on to a third rate celeb [1] to have any hope in life, if anything is a condemnation of what the UK has become this is it. :~(
[1] whose only claim to fame was the ability to have a slanging match at 25 yards and getting thrown off a TV programme for abusing another celebrity, but then Shilpa Shetty does have real talent...
I also feel very annoyed that the BBC is allowing themselves to be dragged down by the commercially funded media industry from a once great (and proud) national and international institution. The fact that the BBC is funded in it's unique way should mean that it rises above the lowest common denominator and, leads the way and offers what isn't available elsewhere, if all it is going to be is a clone of the comercail media industrry should it even carry on being funded in that 'unique way' - if it look like a duck, quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck it should be feed like a duck and not as if it was a Swan!
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if I remember rightly, the story was the top of the 'most viewed stories' list on this site for that day. That tells me people were interested, and so it would be wrong not to lead with it or have it near the top of a bulletin. It's a human interest story. I have no interested in it myself, but a lot of people do. It's not like World War 3 broke out that day is it? It was one of the most significant things to happen that day, a public figure died. I think the BBC got it right.
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@Boilerplated re. post #116 - Yes you are probably correct. However I said nothing that people have not said since my post at #102, post #116 sums up the point I was trying to make also.
I also asked LYDIA-REID if she could produce figures to support her statement about Ms Goodys publicity helping thousands of other women, that and her views on the planned film...
@ipsjen - Why are you and "a lot of us" so interested in the headlines surrounding Ms Goodys illness? They were not about her illness at all they were about her. Very little mention was made of her illness at all.
Why should Ms Goody be headline news? Wendy Richard died recently of Cancer, Natasha Richardson also died recently, did they have such a media storm as Ms Goody? No they did not.
Is anyone interested in Wendy Richard having died of cancer? Apparently not.
I find it repulsive that a person such as Ms Goody who wouldn't be even considered as a "respectable" person if they were not famous is so interesting to people and garners such media attention.
If the BBC had done the correct thing and focused on the cancer then fair enough, but they did not, they chose to chase the "entertainment" aspect of the story which imo, and many others opinions, is not what the BBC should be doing.
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#121
"Let the girl sleep and address your own errors ...
..for surely that is what she mean by being so public at the end?"
Remind me how much she received from magazines like Hello for her 'cancer story'?
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Boilerplated
Have u nothing better to do wiv ur sad life as to comment on this all day
you are just sumthing else
GET UR FACTS IN CORRECT ORDER.....I WOZ INDEED TALKING ABOUT JADES CANCER
try living in the real world, why dont you?
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A racist, a bigot, associations with thugs and crooks, a lust for money - suddenly dear Goody-2-Shoes is the greatest thing since Warburton's and beacon to the world ...
the sad, sad state of British soceity and all thos who swim in her muck ...
and at the helm?? The BBC - Banalest British Creation
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"While millions of you have followed our coverage of the death of reality TV star Jade Goody, some of you have contacted us to question the appropriateness of our carrying the story"
now if that isnt the most biased statement since Pravda hailed Lenin....is it even worth trying to raise issues with an organization that once stood for excellence in all respects of journalism and entertainment and creativity and objectivity ...??
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Far as Im concerned this isnt a question of the relative merits of one dead celebrity over another, none of them from a 'news' point of view are deserving of headline news and wall to wall coverage of their progress towards the grim reaper. Course from a 'commercial' POV then yes some of them do but as a licence funded entity that isnt the Beebs job.
Yes theres a hand-wringing, voyeuristic second-hand-grief-vultures segment of our society that can always guaratee eyeballs on the screen and who feel compelled to eulogise and greive over people who they've never met let alone actually knew (if thats not the ultimate insult to those departed I dont know what is) but let the tabloids and commercial networks pander to them
If the Beeb wants to take part in a race to the bottom in the lowest common denominator market by all means go ahead and do so, but take the public funded parachute off first.
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#130 Agreed
If the best BBC blogs have to offer is self justifying patronising PR spin perhaps they should reassess the value of those too
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In the past few years it has been oft suggested that "we reward failure".
Jade Goody's life is representative of our inability to sort the wheat from the chaff; of our over reliance on viewing or listening figures as reliable indicators of whether we do right or wrong; our wish to opt for safety first in a crowd.
Hans Anderson's "The Emperor's New Suit" is a story that everyone who worships the ground that Jade Goody walked on should read. They should then think long and hard that in that tale it took a child to "tell the truth".
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Being Indian I was equally outraged by the whole Racism Row with Shilpa Shetty and at the time lost all respect for Jade; you may say why did you have any in the first place. She was dragged up by a drug abusing mother and from a very young age looked after her mum and saw an opportunity to appear on BB to help improve her life, she took it and has since been a public figure, because we as a nation made her one (maybe not you personally) but a good slice of the population did. So what changed; Jade during Celebrity BB showed how immature and childish she can be and turned 2 nations against her. I admire that she did not crawl under a rock and hide, she prooved that she was not a racist (one of her best friends is Kevin Adams) just immature comments, (I am sure behind closed doors, majority of people have made some comment which could be deemed racist, (don't pretend you have not) she was stupid enough to do it in public). She went to India to apologise and became friends with Shilpa; if Shilpa can be so forgiving what is every one elses problem. Jade may not have fought for the country, invented something, but she showed that when things are going so bad, you can turn it around.
By the way Boilerplated you may not find all that admirable, but surpressing another country so that you can have free speech is not admirable either!
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Mr Horrocks sounds like a man under immense pressure to compete with the garbage produced by other news providers. I must say that quoting figures of `hits'on the BBC website as jusification to fill the leading story with rubbish only lowers your core audience expectations. You must be wondering if you and your staff had an attack of `Groupthink' during the editorial meeting? Jade Goody wasn't a controversial figure. I think she might have been held as a figure of success by some, making money out of sitting in a house with other odd people on a couple of occassions and made nasty racist comments, but I expect the average BBC news watcher felt ambivalent towards the `story'. Is the bbc audience a big brother audience?. Probably not. The decision to lead on it was wrong.
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I think it's time we brought this discussion to a conclusion. We all have our individual opinions which is "right and proper" and of course we may not agree with them but this is what Freedom of Speech is all about. Let Jade Goody RIP!
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Some have suggested that the BBC should abandon its public funded model as it rushed down-the-populist-TV-News-lane. Nah it will not do that - look at ITV - there's the king of populist TV culture - cant even sustain a news department and needs now.. wait for it .. to fuse with the other crass commercial Channel 4 and Channel 5 - linking three piles of crap do not make a Ramsey meal.
The descent of Channel 4 into populist garbage and its now precarious state financially says something about the market for quality TV and the unprofitability of tabloid TV?
The BBC would sink faster than the Mary Rose if it went off our money.
One only needs to look at India for the thirst for quality news - English newspapers are thriving and easily out do so called English Quality press - the media has a responsibility for education - or the country will carry on sinking while Rome burns and the nation will end up with a zillion Goody-2-Shoos. Kudos to the Paul Weller citing ....
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Did someone say Goody and talent in the same sentence.. wow..
I agree with the earlier post of putting this in perspective..Racist with cancer dies..happens every day..now give us some real news and let her family grieve in peace..
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#123
"Thank you for a perceptive look at what is wrong with the BBC encapsulated in the coverage of Jade Goody but hardly her fault or indeed anything to do with her."
What utter nonsense. Who else employed Max Cliford, to raise Jade Goody's exposure in the media, if not Ms Goody herself?!
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#125
"if I remember rightly, the story was the top of the 'most viewed stories' list on this site for that day. That tells me people were interested, and so it would be wrong not to lead with it or have it near the top of a bulletin"
It was the 'most read' (what ever that means, under what criteria is it measured) because it was forced down the throats of people, that is what headlines are there to do - lead people into the (supposedly) most important item...
So what if it is a 'Human interest story', it doesn't make it automatically the most important story and that is what people are complaining about, not the fact that the BBC carried the story.
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#126
"I find it repulsive that a person such as Ms Goody who wouldn't be even considered as a "respectable" person if they were not famous is so interesting to people and garners such media attention."
Infamous might be a better word...
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#128
"Have u nothing better to do wiv ur sad life as to comment on this all day you are just sumthing else"
My thoughts entirely (if I understand your comment correctly...) about those sad people who have to cling to third rate media personalities to find any purpose in their shallow lives, especially when when people are dying in Africa, the people of Tibet are being repressed never mind the whole-sale change in political policy occurring in the US that will have world-wide implications for us all etc.
Note to the mods, can the BBC please class the text messaging 'language' as non English as many people can't read it's short-hand.
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In reply to a comment made @ #134
"By the way Boilerplated you may not find all that admirable, but surpressing another country so that you can have free speech is not admirable either!"
Indeed, yet what does the UK media feed us as headlines, Ms Jade Goody et al - oh the irony - that people complain that I want real news as headlines yet throw that sort of comment in my face...
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#136
"I think it's time we brought this discussion to a conclusion."
If you can't win the argument the next best option is to stop the discussion from taking place, that was how people like Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini operated...
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#144
Wahey! Goodwin's law has been invoked, the discussion has officially run out of juice.
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For all those who say that the media interest in Ms Goody was because of her raising cancer awareness, it will be interesting to see how much space is given over to Lance Armstrong (or the EU) and his/their wish to raise cancer awareness, I can't find any mention of this on the BBC web site;
[from: http://www.theparliament.com/latestnews/news-article/newsarticle/lance-armstrong-backs-eu-efforts-to-tackle-cancer/]
"Seven-time Tour de France winner Lance
Armstrong has thrown has thrown his
weight behind new efforts to cut the
rising death toll caused by cancer.
The 37-year-old American wants to raise
awareness of a disease which next year
is expected to become the biggest cause
of death in the world. [..//..]"
So a celeb who did next to nothing in her life, gets acres of news print, pages of web-space and reels of video tape but a sporting master doesn't seem to get a single mention , go figure - unless of course the media interest was actually in Ms Goody rather than in cancer...
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# 136
I have been monitoring your comments and you constantly miss the point which is why I felt compelled to write once more...........
It's not a question of winning the argument and no I don't always walk away but you know what they say "he who runs away lives to fight another day!" You always quick to point out about all us sad people writing for and against the media coverage of Ms Goody. Why are you doing it? But don't worry I shan't be commenting again - you have my permission to rubbish me as much as you want - I'm off to save the world!
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Jade Goody's legacy is a bit like Anna Nicole Smith's
a massive fortune for her children which the lawyers
will greedily try to steal for filling in paperwork forms
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The BBC news on TV is turning into a mix of Daily Mail and Sun TV.... the website however is far more balanced, so i dont watch you any more!
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#144
Usenet is that away! ===>>>
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To Boilerplated
Just kidding - I'm back! So you want to win the argument and here's me thinking this is all about a healthy debate re the media coverage of Jade Goody's untimely demise! Seems to me it's a vehicle for your ego!
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#151
"Seems to me it's a vehicle for your ego!"
A bit like the relationship between Jade Goody and the media was you mean?...
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# 152
Which she did of her own volition!
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To those of you have told us that you didn't like Jade Goody, or didn't want to hear news about her,
To those of you who say "Woman dies of cancer. Sad, but an everyday event, and not newsworthy".
To those of you who say "the BBC should not engage in tabloid style journalism - period" or "The BBC should also be ashamed of endorsing such a person and her family"
I level the accusation of snobbery,
With the utmost respect to a much loved and revered woman I ask how many of the people identified above would have considered complaining about the coverage of the death of Lady Diana (God rest her soul), after all not everyone likes Royalty, and women die in cars every day.
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#139
What a silly b....oilerplated you are. So Max Clifford is in the employ of the BBC is he? Max Clifford had to do absolutely nothing to get Jade Goody's story on the BBC; the silly b....bc put it there all by themselves long before Jade Goody employed Mr Clifford. But please read ALL of a comment not just the bits that do not please you..... I am not alone in pointing this out to you, and it may save some of your less worthy items from wasting space.
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wow, what a read #1 thru #155.
enjoyed the 'hey Boilerplated, you're too full of yourself' stuff, but, on balance, very much most of his/her comments (a) are concise & well-structured and (b) on the issue.
Ms Goody's over-exposure serves a purpose I'm sure -- it keeps loads of important, IMO, stuff out of sight: Tibet, ROCongo, Sudan, ... the list is long. while we emote, the world is going to the dogs and the "men in suits" are laughing.
finally, #142 last paragraph -- quite right, "txt"ing shouldn't be used in these debates, it's so much harder to read/take in.
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#154 its not snobbery its a simple request that the BBC, who we as licence payers have freed from the numbers game of commercial imperative with our hard earned cash, stop the hammer and tongs 'how low can we go' battle with commercial networks for who can get the biggest ratings and return to delivering quality programming and quality news.
Its not just the news content thats aflicted. We need a move away from the hour upon hour of derivative shows that simply mirror commercial offerings, the high salaried 'personalities' whos profile is only high because of their employment by a national broadcaster in the first place.
Not to mention the downright embarrasing spectacle of even the most minor of their staffers lining up to carve a name for themselves (and a slice of the 'celebrity' action) almost as soon as they get a byline. Everyone from the weatherman to the continuity announcers on kids TV.
As for the diana coverage I'd have complained about that too - theres a line between legitimate news and pandering to the shallow self-indulgent "oh the humanity!!" greif-by-proxy brigade.
Its not even a fine line that might prove hard to balance on, its verging on an ocean.
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#153
Your point being what exactly? I don't remember reading that the BBC had signed any contact with Ms Goody, this blog/debate is about why and if the BBC should have placed her death above all other news. If you care to read the full blog you will notic that most who have made comments appear to agree that they should not have done so, only those who seem to have very shallow lives seem to think that the BBC was correct in placing a third rate minor celebrity above what is happening in the USA, Africa, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran the list goes on and on, never mind the fact that the UK is knocking on the door of an economic depression...
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Whilst having every sympathy for anyone and any family being faced by any form of terminal illness I do find the coverage of Jade Goody's death difficult to accept. We here references to Jade as a 'reality TV celebrity' which leads me to question two things: what is 'reality TV?' and what is 'celebrity?' Jade was, just to remind us all, mocked for her lack of basic knowledge of UK geography and castigated for her comments about Shilpa Shetty. Yet she has become some sort of iconic figure as a result of her illness and the subsequent coverage thereof. I don't doubt that this has enhanced the importance of screening for many women but to elevate Jade to the extent that the BBC news coverage has done is, to my mind, to do a disservice to the many other individuals and families who have had to cope with similar circumstances
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In reply to #154
"I level the accusation of snobbery"
To those who think that the most important thing happening in the world that day was the death of Jade Goody I level the accusation of gross ignorance...
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#155
"So Max Clifford is in the employ of the BBC is he?"
Thanks for demonstrating that you don't know what a publicist does and how he or she does it... :~(
Max cliford was her publicist, that means raising awareness of her (and her illness, or even what she had for breakfast, if that is what he was asked to do) in all of the media out-lets and that included the BBC, selling the rights to an exclusive interview, or what ever, is different to being a publicist), correct me if I'm mistaken but Max Cliford was even interviewed about Ms Goody by the BBC before or just after her death so to claim that Max Cliford ignored the BBC is a bit daft!
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This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.
#162
During the "racism" row Jade Goody most certainly fitted one of the definitions of "ignorant" - unaware - which may have been a better word to use. But perhaps she was just being naive on a reality TV show because that is what the producers anticipated and received.
I am equally concerned that bitter, twisted and sanctimonious people should not seek to blame her for what the media allowed (manipulated may be a better word) her to do. Her naivety is summed up by the simple fact that whatever she did - live or die - a story would be written and consumed by a voracious bunch of numpties who think it all means something.
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#162
[ re the over use of the word "ignorant" ]
Could it be that since anyone, any-time, anywhere can publish their 'thoughts' on the internet there has been a proliferation of ignorance and thus the use of the word "ignorant" as a descriptive term?
As for my use of the word within the context of the comment @ #160
From Wiktionary.org
Ignorance: The condition of being uninformed or uneducated. Lacking knowledge or information.
If the cap fits why not use it?...
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It is so sad to see such a negative response in regards to the reporting of the Jade Goody story reported by the BBC. It appears people have forgotten the entire purpose of this story. The only way people pay attention or remember anything is by writing about something that may shock people. This story was not about a celebrity, it was about a woman who ignored a letter. A letter that could have saved her life.
This woman wanted to show the world what could happen as a female if you ignore your health. This disease does not care who you are. This woman wanted to bring awareness to all females out there who choose to ignore such a potential life saving letter.
If all of the reporting that was done by the BBC saves even one life, then it was worth it. That was the entire point of this story. People seem to forget why Jade decided to open up her private life to the world. She did not want this to happen to other females. She also needed quickly to provide for her children's future. So I respect her for what she had to do and I myself would have done the very same thing.
People do remember shocking stories, no matter how much they complain about them. That is what it takes to bring awareness about a disease that could have been prevented. So in the end the media was the best tool to use to get that message out there and they did.
My sincere condolences to the Goody family and a job well done by the BBC to ensure all females need to take control of their health for their families and for themselves. Don't be surprised if in the future there is a Jade Goody Day recognized so all females make sure to get checked by their GP to prevent this from happening to them.
Remember this story as legacy and a big reminder to those who now choose to ignore their health.
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#166
"It appears people have forgotten the entire purpose of this story."
But that is the point, we haven't, it didn't need Jade Goody (or anyone else) for the media to decide that cancer awareness needed boosting, so why was it as soon as Ms Goody succumbed they (including the BBC) were all failing over each other to inform us about cancer and the importance of screening - could it have be as a way to boost sales rather than a real wish to inform their audience about cancer awareness - after all, how many extra copies of 'Hello' magazine would get sold if they just splashed the cover banner 'It's Important to be screened for cancer' and gave over 2/3rds of the magazine to an interview with an Oncologist? It's one thing to be to cynical all of the time but it's even worse never to be cynical any of the time...
But that said, there is no problem in them doing the above, nor Ms Goody making them pay to use her name (it's a wild commercial world out there after all) or that some people choose to buy publications that pay for such access, but it's not headline news above all other news and that is the point being debated - I suspect that no one (who has come out against the BBC's decision) could have cared less if the BBC had lead E24, BBC3 news or the 'Switch' slot on BBC2 with Goody's death, it was the fact that they placed it above all the other news that was around at the time and on all channels and time slots for that day. It really saddens me that there seems to be so many people (including some it would seem within BBC news...) who don't understand the difference between News, Gossip and Information.
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@166
Plenty of people have died from cancer despite taking care of their health.
Processes such as screening rely on effective control of the specimen, correct analysis, effective contact, and timely follow up. Even people who have troublesome colds may have something much more serious wrong and often the key diagnostic is only made by a doctor who has seen it before and is careful to look for other signs. As such medicine is often a lottery with many potential false positives or false negatives.
Anyone who believes that Jade's story was newsworthy because of her terminal condition really should ask what other people who have trodden the same path think.
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I switched on this morning to see some BBC producer maintaining it was a good thing to cover the death of Jade Goody. I don't know who he was. It flashed across my mind that wouldn't it be nice if one of these functionaries came on to say 'no, it was a crap idea', but there you go. I deliberately avoided most of this story (although it was impossible escape all of it), so I'm not really qualified to write about her. During this functionary's exchange, however, with a clearly well grounded chap from Edinburgh, who raised some not unreasonable points, the functionary said 'our viewers' wanted to see the last hours and then the obsequies of Jade Goody. 'They' say this sort of thing a lot. How do 'they' know? Are those people who have their televisions on when something like this comes on assumed to be among those who 'want to see it'. I sometimes think those people viewing are just caught and are patiently waiting for something more newsworthy to show up? The same sensible Scottish viewer then suugested that a lot of people used to turn up to watch public executions, and does it mean that because they wanted to watch they should be allowed to do so. The functionary seemed to think wasn't a valid point. Not sure why.
What was this whole event? The public persona of Jade Goody seems to have been invented by television, then fleshed out by other media. She may have been an ordinary person, but she seems to have had no particular intrinsic merit. Then she died for the media. What was it for? I'm puzzled and depressed. It's a shame that the BBC has lined up with the rest of the media in this whole meretricious and sinister process, but then I think, they were always going to weren't they? And the depression deepens.
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This may sound insensitive and it isn't meant to be, but why did this story need SO MUCH coverage? Was she the most famous person in Britain? Not really, Was she the first woman to suffer from this illness? definately not, Was she the first mother to die of cancer? NO.
I feel for her family and I have great sympathy for anyone going through this horrible disease, either themselves or their loved ones. But do it in private where you can shield yourself from the undue stress having a camera stuffed in your face can cause. Yes all this did highlight the disease so many more women will go for smears and that is excelent, if just one woman's life is saved as a result of this tradgedy then that would be wonderful, but it wasn't worth the front page of every newspaper, or the headline item on every news broadcast for the last month.
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#165
Boilerplated is right I beleive it is the BBC's remit to ensure that we are not "uninformed or uneducated. Lacking knowledge or information".
If we hold that this is the role of the BBC then Ipso facto concerning the coverage.
Please remember "quod ali cibus est aliis fuat acre venenum"
May I not nauseate the food which you Covet; and is it not even a Proverb, that what is meat to one Man is Poyson to another.
[a 1721 M. Prior Dialogues of Dead (1907) 246]
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#171
Don't get me wrong, as a term of abuse the word 'ignorant' is used far to frequently, and yes there is now a problem that when used correctly it is taken only as a term of abuse rather than as a descriptive term for someone lacking knowledge or being ill-informed. As for the BBC and Ms Goody, the issue is not that the BBC covered Ms Goody's death but how they covered it - that is what people are complaining about.
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#172
Any editorial board will call a situation the way that they see it and we have to respect them for that, in your opinion this coverage was the wrong call in the opinion of others it was not, there will never be consensus, it is impossible to please all of the people, I know mothers of sons serving abroad who are totally unable to listen to or watch the news at all in case they hear the worst,
The hardest thing to accept is that:
There is an appointed time for everything. And there is a time for every event under heaven—
A time to give birth and a time to die; A time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.
A time to kill and a time to heal; A time to tear down and a time to build up.
A time to weep and a time to laugh; A time to mourn and a time to dance.
A time to throw stones and a time to gather stones; A time to embrace and a time to shun embracing.
A time to search and a time to give up as lost; A time to keep and a time to throw away.
A time to tear apart and a time to sew together; A time to be silent and a time to speak.
A time to love and a time to hate; A time for war and a time for peace.
Last week it was the time of Jade today we are informed of a US flood wher the river 'may have peaked' Tommorrow who Knows, we perceive, this is a hard fact, but what we perceive is not a fact of the same kind, because we learn what to perceive.
The Wheel of Time
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It is awful that a young woman aged 27 should die from this terrible illness. Thankfully I have enjoyed many years beyond her age, but have accepted to take my life as one day at a time.
I understand that Jade has provided for her children, but it is the piranch of Max Gifford that sticks in my gullet. I know he has had sadness in his life over the past few years,but he must be "coining" it in over the death of ayoung woman.
My partner for the past 25 years is going through the trauma of breast cancer, but where is Max C.? nowhere, because he can`t make money out of an everyday story about everyday people. In my case a wonderful, intellegent, beautiful woman aged 63. My gripe is about the Aussie, not Jade
Esscee
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about as talented as that Beckham creep ... and just as good at throwing a curved ball ... totally mirrors Britain's obsession with the mediocre and superficial ... I mean canb you imagine that Beckham being even mentioned in teh same breadth as greats like Moore, Greaves, Charlton and Lineker ... the most over rated footballer of all time ... from the same banality skool as Good-2-shoo
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#174
I agree totally with your sentiment and wish your partner well.
Mr Clifford wishes to make money whatever way he can and unfortunately the UK has developed such poor taste in the past few decades that we represent easy pickings for the man.
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There is not a lot of difference to people apart from education and background.Though education and background make huge differences to how a life is lived and in what circumstances.
The fundamental differences to being human where morals play a part are none.
An educated person's morals can be as low as the drains beneath the gutters of the streets and an uneducated persons morals can be as high as the stars above the Earth's atmosphere.
Those who are outraged that a lead story occured on a communication platform which they had previously relied upon to foster their ideal that they inhabit a more precious world and take note of more important matters should really take a long hard look at the world they inhabit and try to imagine exactly which part of that world is real.
Do they, by listening to their importanmt news headlines make a difference to the world? No. Do they make a difference to the world by their preferences? No. Would they make a difference if they acted upon the things importnat to them? Yes. Well, that is what Jade did. She acted on the things that were important to her and she made a difference to herself and then at the end, she did what was again most important to her and made a number of sacrifices to ensure her children had the only thing left she could do for them, which was to collect as much money as possible.
For those who write freely against her using hearsay and bits and pieces they pick up from other people's posts, please take a moment to do your research before you add to the ludicrous claims and lies told about her from the very sources that you blindly use to malign her but then decry as beneath you!
I don't believe that the majority of people posting wicked comments about Jade are the middle classes at all, I think it's the jumped up classes and those individuals from all classe whose tap dancing classes and education led to nothing but obscurity - blame their silly parents for bringing them up to believe they are better before they have even tried.
For those who need a dose of truth every now and again:
http://www.johannhari.com/archive/article.php?id=1468
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Where did the idea that Jade's involvement in the public eye through the media has no value in society originate? It must have been on the Moon via the delsuions of her ignorant detractors because here on Earth Jade's story has brought to the fore the question of just what those in power should be focusing their ideals on for our society.
Those in the NHS should question if their own personal perceptions of a patient are what matters or if there should be better systems in place to ensure that people with years-in-the-growing-rugby-ball-sized tumours are not sent home with an aspirin just because a doctor who is educated but unintelligent perceives a patient to be seeking attention or publicity - as Jade surely was viewed as being many times - otherwise why did her local hospital send her home time after time when she was taken in after collapsing numerous times in pain and with bleeding?
She had a history of pre-cancerous cells being removed from the age of 16. The operation last year which removed a massive tumor (as mentioned above) was only as the result of her publicist Max Clifford sending her to his own medical specialist after Jade conmplained to him about her constant episodes over the years that the hospitals were ignoring despite her documented history in her medical records showing she had three separate treatments to remove pre-cancerous cells over the years.
ade by her own admittance did not attend or repsond to a request for a further appointment to a hospital letter and the detractors seize this to blame her for her death when the evidence which is overwhelming shows that the years of lip service by the NHS are far more likely to have killed her than one missed appointment.
The one missed opportunity to arrange an appointment was no match for years of being sent home with painkillers just because staff in the NHS believ everything read in the red tops and have prejudices too.
(That's not to say that absolutely everything the red tops print is lies, but one has to read everything from everywhere and everyone to get at the possible truth.)
That one missed opportunity may well have been the tipping point but people who claim to be in the medical profession and work with cancer aptients have many of them written of jJde's case that it is highly unlikely and that the longer term ignoring of Jade's symptoms by the hospitals generally is what was far more likely to have led to the cancer becoming terminal and over and above even all that, they have also written that it appears from the reports that it seems to have been an very complex aggressive cancer anyway.
The viciousness with which people have everywhere commented with mostly no more than two sentences to malign Jade is very regrettable and makes me question why so many people of all classes feel so disenfranchised in our society when there are equally many more people from all backgrounds who seem to be pretty good about their lot, good or bad.
I have several ideas about the reasons and upbringing and the media are the main focus.
The bitterness behind the anti Jade comments comes through and is easy to see in some cases.
An article by Jan Muir in the Daily Mail of the 23rd March 2009, a few hours after Jade's death is one of the worst examples I have read
of someone belying and betraying their own personal bitternesses and jealousies in their own life at the world through being hateful towards Jade - and also a great example of why a few GCSE's and an 0 level or A level or two is really no evidence of being intelligent and importantly of having any real perception or reason at all beyond one's own nose to the world. An opinion is one thing and should be attributed as such, but a tirade of bitter and some of even pure hatred is astonishing.
So it remains for me to say just that Ms Muir's piece on Jade was very aptly titled 'A Personal View'. Indeed .
Let us compare Jade's own transparent honesty and dedication to doing the right thing, her refusal to condemn the NHS and her local hospitals for her plight, her refusal to sue the NHS.
Her statement that she did not want other women out there to go through what she did , when she had commented that she had ignored a letter from a hospital, even though she knew that it was not that which had ensured her early death, but she figured that if she was going to die then she miught as well use it to ensure everyone else would respond to her call to be fearful and act.
For those who say that she only got the fame and attention and money because it was all foisted on her by the programme makers and the media - no- dont be so naive, stop and think while you criticise - no amount of media attention and programming boradcast is going to make you famour or rich..it is all up to you, you have either got it or not, and she had it- she had the intelligence, the charisma the character and the honesty.
This made her wanted, and as the majority of people wanted her, she was kept in the media. You don't accumulate many many millions in cash and additional assets worth even more by being stupid and no one gives yopu anything, and if there was anything she was given , she earned it.Just as she always did before BB3 - she worked for a living which is a lot more than you can say for a lot of her detractors rich and poor alike. It's basic really, can the snobbery see that though? NOOOOOO!
Shall we compare Jade to labour's Minister Tony McNulty, lets picture his face in the press recently, and his wife's too - their faces in the press last week, the bare faced look identical on both their faces - the look of defiant blatant couldn't-care-less idignancy on them...they had already got what they needed from our pockets to survive the rest of their lives, they couldn't care less now, is what those expressions spoke of.
Oh but shouldn't we have them as the main headlines they ask!
Why yes, lets.
But wait, where are the howls and wicked condemnations for Tony McNulty? A man who sat there and penned his contempt for us all when he ticked the boxes for his £60,0000 perks whilst we lie sleepless at night over our future finances? Where is the derision and snobbery? why, it's in the silent acceptance isn't it? The snobbery reverts in on itself when it comes to Tony McNulty.
Oh and I beg your pardon, he knows where East-Anglia is.
That's alright then.
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Dying of cancer in a young age is always tragic, not the least with small children involved. However that traditionally do not generate any media coverage. Had Jade done any special contributions to society, or achieved a high level of recognition and approval in work or life in general, yes some notice of her early demise would perhaps be justified.
I may have an inadequate knowledge of her life and work, but my understanding is that what she has done to earn her fame, she has done for herself and her closest only. I also understand that all insights in Jade's life since rising to sudden fame, has been available at a fee only.
However sad Jade's death is, however tragic her circumstances may have been, in the end of the day Jade's life was no worse than many others. It may be a British thing, but I simply cannot understand the media, and their choices of what to go into. Surely there must be people out there that has done great things for others who deserves more recognition. People that do not hire media agents to maximise their own takings of the exposure. People that generally are prepared to do good for the sake of doing good, and refrain from taking advantage of whatever popularity they may have. I so much fail to understand the media hype regarding Jade, but thats probably where my lack of being British fails me.
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@178
I don't think your "doctors are unintelligent" comment is either accurate or called for especially in trying to imply that somehow Jade was a victim of professional misjudgment.
I also feel that Jade's "transparent honesty" was actually naivety, certainly as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer day, and perhaps delivered because she had experience of its success in making friends. At the beginning that may indeed have been her "true" personality. My take is that I don't believe that Jade actually knew herself well enough to handle the likes of a top PR man, or the media who manipulated her rather too easily.
It is unfortunate that Jade's condition was terminal and I am sad that she died far too young. But what we are debating here is the degree to which the public should be exposed to her life. I do not believe she did anything in her life that warranted the exposure given to her by the BBC and your contribution has done nothing to alter that opinion.
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Catering for the voyeuristic demands of the feeble minded has become a BBC speciality, and pretending that it was justified is a predictable and wholly disingenous response from the current crop of news 'editors'. Tabloid TV at it's worst; shame on you, BBC.
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I am confused about why someone thinks they have the right to determine that the early and tragic death of a girl who was (whether you like it or not) a highly public figure was not newsworthy.
This story isn't about whether or not you liked Jade Goody or whether you approved of her celebrity status. The heart of this story is that a young woman's life was cut short at 27 years old leaving behind 2 young boys she adored. Be respectful of those she has left behind.
Why she was 'famous' is immaterial and certainly not the BBC's doing.
This young lady has left a legacy. Hundreds, nay thousands of young women have had smear tests as a result of this story. There has been a petition to lower the age of screening in this country to help future cancer sufferers get early treatment for this highly treatable cancer. Jade continues to reward charities such as the Marie Curie nurses by ensuring some of the royalties from her books go directly to them.
I don't understand why people need to be so vilified by this story.
The wonder of the internet is if you don't like a story, you can click to the next page. The BBC is right that it should report to serve the needs/desires of all its licence payers. You can't pick and choose news. The amount of interest around Jade's death meant that it was newsworthy therefore thank you BBC for including it with all of your other news stories last week.
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#182
"The heart of this story is that a young woman's life was cut short"
So are you seriously suggesting that ALL young people whose lives are cut short should be headline news and half a TV news bulletin given over to them, and why stop with the young, many middle aged or elderly people will have done far more good in their every day lives than Ms Goody did in her short time as a 'celebrity', or does your argument only apply to Ms Goody (compare the coverage given to the deaths of Ms Goody, and that of Natasha Richardson)...
As for the internet, we are not talking just about the internet here but radio and television, on a day (and a week) when there was real worldwide news to report.
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#182
Sorry but how far off the radar do you want to go? A few points to help you put that thinking cap back on.
1. The BBC was as involved as the rest of the media in making Jade Goody's story "newsworthy". They covered the racism row to the point of distraction.
2. Jade did nothing ON HER OWN that warranted ANY news coverage from start to finish of her life.
3. Her motivation to look after her two children is identical to that of billions of mums on the planet. That she managed it on the back of a discredited and disreputable media says more about them than it says about her.
4. Her misfortune to contract cervical cancer was no more than that - a misfortune - that happens to many hundreds of women every single day. Her age at death was considerably better than many who die from cancer in the UK.
None of this detracts from Jade Goody's PERSONAL tragedy; but what we are talking about here is whether it constituted a PUBLIC tragedy, and the answer overwhelmingly seems to be No. Unfortunately the BBC doesn't do "stand up for your standards" very well.
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Just to place a slightly different spin on this subject I believe that the BBC's decision (since we are singling them out as "our" media) to cover Jade Goody was harmful to the public good.
As part of our persistence in dumbing down anything and everything we give the impression that there is a huge collective of people in the UK who simply do not count. These people are, by and large, honest, hard working, besieged by financial hardship, bringing up decent kids, and denied coverage by the media. There is a clear division in the way the media perceive society and they spend time on the extremities. These extremities are seldom able to present positives - at the top end they represent a fantasy that not even a top lottery prize can echo, and at the bottom end the tragic results of how dumbing down damages the heart and soul of the human spirit. The media is transient. It represents the moment rather than the development and decay of issues.
The damage caused by media persistence in being dishonest in portrayal is highlighted in the overlong visuals of the few "rioting" demonstrators at yesterday's three protest marches as compared to the coverage of the peaceful many. This is propaganda rather than news coverage. It heightens the sense that we need to give ever increasing power to the police and less and less to the individual. The placement of a camera easily incites something dreadful and the rented actors deliver. Compare the anger of demonstrators (even the peaceful ones) with the many photo-calls of the smiling "celebrity" politicians. Is our current economic plight worthy of smiles?
We have all manufactured this evil misrepresentation of who and what we really are but the BBC bears an especially heavy blame as it constantly moves away from representing us towards treating us with contempt. So we who pay the wages of these extremities (in one way or another) are the puppets (and fools) who never get a look in. The "silent" voice is screaming very loudly at this time, but the scream is lost to the violent chants of a noisy few.
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#185
The damage caused by media persistence in being dishonest in portrayal is highlighted in the overlong visuals of the few "rioting" demonstrators at yesterday's three protest marches as compared to the coverage of the peaceful many."
Oh so true, and not just the peaceful many, those for who the G20 meeting or protests might well have not been taking place - STOP THE WORLD - the media wants to cover nothing but Jade Goody's death and the G20 meeting/protests!
The same problem that beset the BBC with their Jade Goody coverage has occurred again with the G20 coverage. The BBC World Service is now the last bastian of decent journalism (in the UK) and even that has dumbed down to a certain extent.
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#187
I'd just like to add a footnote to the attitude of our police to PEACEFUL demonstrators in the City of London yesterday. Groups were kept penned in very small areas for eight hours or more and not allowed to disperse although many were tired, hungry, thirsty and wanted to go home. It would be appropriate of the BBC to question the Home Secretary on the tactics of the police at this and other demonstrations.
It is extremely inappropriate for the police to act in this way, and, were this not the UK, would be something we would all frown upon. I have today heard a first hand account of what happened yesterday and I am thoroughly disgusted with our police.
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I know its sad when someone dies from cancer I had 2 people in my family die from leukemia. There are lots of people who die from cancer she wont be the only one. I do feel for her family as this sad time. Also Natasha Richardson's death was tragic as well.
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There is something mawkishly sickening about this whole event; but the subject of this was a creature of the media; a person who could easily be fitted into their simplistic story telling, which they, could then feel good about, when they relayed it to us poor, simple viewers and listeners.
A sad, and sick, sign of how low the times are...
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It makes me sad that the BBC feel they have to justify their coverage of Jade Goodys' untimely death. Its very sad when any young mother dies, and people felt close to Jade because she was just like one of us. Well maybe not like some of the worthies who've been commenting here! She wasn't perfect, and always knew her fame was false. She was an ordinary girl who got a lucky break in life and then made the most of it by just being herself. I always liked her and was very moved by the coverage of her death. Hopefully it has raised the profile of cervical cancer and made many more woman aware of the need for regular testing. By the way, Jade Goody wasn't from Essex. I was also equally sad to hear of the death of Natashia Richardson. But Jade lived the last few years of her life in the public spotlight, which made her feel much closer.
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I cannot feel a little disgusted by the media circus around this event. This is not out of any feelings towards Jade Goody, or anything similar; it is simply a feeling of revulsion for the blanket media attention to events that inspire an emotional response. It is undoubtably sad that a young mother is dead, but does it deserve a national outpouring of grief? This is someone that, until recently, was declared a pariah, decried as racist and unintelligent, and generally treated rather poorly. Just more proof that media attention, be it damning or sanctifying, effects our judgement more than we would like to admit. I admire the BBC for their attempt to justify their coverage, even if the reasons that they give are, at best, disingenuous.
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I've just watched a BBC "news" item about Jade's funeral which takes place later today.
Whilst I believe a simple headline to inform that the event is taking place would be appropriate, I cannot understand what is news-worthy about an interview with some chap who once knew Jade's grandfather and has never met Jade herself.
This purile coverage insults the intelligence of viewers and, more importantly, must be upsetting to Jade's friends and familly.
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It terrifies me that news media including the BBC (which clings to the remnants of its tattered reputation as The Source of Unbiased News In The World) spend so much time and effort (and my licence fee) slavishly following "celebrities" who have achieved nothing but plumbing new depths of pointlessness. It's a case of "the emperor's new clothes".
Put the celebrity/realityTV/WAGs "material" in a separate website so that those who want it can find it without being troubled by real events, and where it can be avoided by people who want to find out what's really happening.
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#192
"This purile coverage insults the intelligence of viewers and, more importantly, must be upsetting to Jade's friends and familly"
Your first point is very valid, if fact do we even need to know that the funeral is taking place, those who need to know will already know.
As for what Ms Goody's family thinks, come on, they have arranged all this for there own benefit - if they were going to be oh so upset then they shouldn't have arranged such a (in my opinion) over the top public funeral.
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When crowds line the pavements for an overhyped funeral of an overhyped person (and throw flowers) it makes me wonder just what is the matter with so many of the populace. It can't just be that they are egged on by the BBC.
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#197
it makes me wonder just what is the matter with so many of the populace.
I think most would call it a dose of mass hysteria...
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I note the BBC managed to "squeeze" several minutes of Jade Goody's funeral coverage onto news bulletins but absolutely nothing on the record £150k fine imposed by Ofcom following the Ross/Brand obscenities.
No doubt the editorial blog will cover this sensitive issue at a later date....but don't hold your breath.
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I'm probably a little late with this but having seen non-stop coverage of this non-event today I feel the need to comment.
A 27 year old woman dying is sad clearly. The fact that she was, in some people's eyes, a celebrity is actually not the point. The BBC's coverage of this was inappropriate in that it failed to focus on the real question, which was why was she famous?
There is no doubt that the girl didn't really have much chance in life and did well in monetary terms, through exploiting whatever means were at her disposal. But the fact that she was first ridiculed and derided and subsequently turned into some bizarre 'national treasure', ignores the fact that we should actually be questionning. This is of course the fact that in the 20th/21st century, a child can grow up in what is, despite protestations to the contrary, a rich and generally educated and healthy country, and not only die of what could have been a curable disease, but live in almost total ignorance of the outside world and without any visible evidence of any education. This is what the BBC should have focused on - not how many people turned up at her funeral.
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From #201
"This is of course the fact that in the 20th/21st century, a child can grow up in what is, despite protestations to the contrary, a rich and generally educated and healthy country, and not only die of what could have been a curable disease, but live in almost total ignorance of the outside world and without any visible evidence of any education. This is what the BBC should have focused on - not how many people turned up at her funeral."
This paragraph is a fine summary of the mediocrity to which the UK apparently subscribes and aspires to. It suggest that even the BBC is oblivious to the horrendous mistakes of our social engineers in the last thirty odd years. Jade Goody is indeed an unfortunate icon of our big mistakes. For years we have painted surrealist canvases out of ignorance of the "other side of the coin", preferring to blow our trumpets about poor girl makes good. And that "other side of the coin" is getting more "news" airings as middle class redundancies begin to expose the inadequacies of our benefit system.
For years many have complained about the pittance they receive out of work whilst they are parodied as scroungers by a sneering press. But now the boot is on the other foot and it pinches their toes something rotten. So just "who" was out of touch with "whom". Again we see the bias of the media who really know nothing of real life as they tread their privileged paths whilst the less well heeled take their chances in the jungle.
We have job centres that resemble the rush hour on a tube instead of an "insurance" service to people who are out of work. We have a retraining provision that is well equipped to forcing people into low paid work but no use in identifying and doing something with skill transfers. But of course this provision has never really been tested out by those with contacts in the media and so it got no coverage - until now.
Those who lose jobs in the middle class sectors are often blessed with expensive "career guidance" paid by their former employer which are incomparable to what the Government makes available to the majority. It is quite a difference to have thousands of pounds in savings on contributions based job seeker's allowance. Most who claim have nothing to fall back on. The media are responding to a "middle class" recession and making it news because they are now involved and they do not like it one little bit. It is just a great pity they didn't do something for the silent majority who have been squealing for over thirty years about their lot.
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#201
"The BBC's coverage of this was inappropriate in that it failed to focus on the real question,..."
...cancer awareness - perhaps?
We were told way up (in this blog), and in the wider press at large, that Ms Goody's story was relevant because her plight and death is making young females aware that cancer is as relevant to them in their late teens/twenties as it is to the 40+ age group.
So were was/is all this cancer awareness in the media frenzy of the last two weeks or so, were have all the special programmes been about cancer or about getting screened etc, the closest any channel seems to have come to informing young women (and men for that matter) that they need to take care of their bodies has been Channel Four and their recent sex education series!
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Whilst the family of Jade Goody continues to mourn her death, I for one still remain perplexed, angry and even disillutioned at why the News Media got so carried away with this person. Furthermore, the News Media allowed her to milk them of every coverage possible in order to provide a financial reward at the end. My anger lies here - there are many many individuals from disadvantaged background who yesterday, today and tomorrow have beeb failed by political policies or just simply ignored by the state. When does the News Media feel it Right, Proper or Reasonable for them to highlight such failings? Why doesn't the News Media feel it necessary to go where our MPs dare not, in the HEART OF THE COMMUNITY and learn the TRUTH about depth of FAILURE - then question teh purpose of MPs relative to the CHALLENGES that need to be met in our communities. A Government policy failed me whilst protecting the bank. As a result of this, I not only lost my 'viable' business start-up, but also my HOME. I have tried and tried to get Media attention to this story as I know that many individuals have 'got there against all the odds' too - only to have it ALL taken away from them. Like the News Media, my MP has done nothing for me. This is why I remain perplexed and angry at the Media attention of Jade Goody. It is appalling how narrowly selective and shallow the News Media can be. IT JUST DOESN'T HELP US!!
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#204
Yes, I agree, never mind programmes of the 'Goody comes home' ilk, how about the media making some hard hitting programmes/dramas in the ilk of "Cathy come Home" - especially as history could so very easily repeat it's self in the current economic situation...
Oh, and for all those who don't know what the above mentioned programme was;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cathy_Come_Home
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we have to bear in mind those licence fee payers who have a strong level of interest and who expected us to provide measured coverage of her death.
Peter Horrocks is head of BBC Newsroom.
============================================
Please, give us the credit for some intelligence. With a prime minister who caters for populist and vulgarian tastes, this was another piece of BBC spin. Sad a young person died, but others far more worthy, both newwise and as human beings are just ignored.
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How much of disingenuous comment, Mr Horrocks, does it take to justify BBC stupidity? Are you working hard to establish a link between Jade Goody and the North Korean rocket launch?
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Quite unnecessary the coverage afforded to Jade Goody. From my experience she was nothing more than a mis-guided mouth piece for the under class in our society and certainly no role model.
It is about time that we looked for the true characters that we want to represent us...what's more what is this nonsense about Primark Princess.
Sure it is sad on a personal level that children have been left without a mother; but you have to question sometimes the value of such parents or even grand parents before you generalise your response.
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Where do you start with all this? Judging by the complaining tone on this issue it seems that people would prefer the news to be reduced to 'Something has happened but we can't comment in case we get something wrong.' How can the BBC win? Although everyone who reported the story went to tremendous lengths to get the tone of it right, the public is so mad they had no chance of coming up with any approach that would work.
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@209
The "mad" public didn't "invent" Ms Goody; the media (including the BBC) did. If we are going to run our Country on a popularity contest using "Big Brother" as a measure then we may already be beyond help. And as for "tone" well what tone do you need to use other than a sober "Jade Goody has died. She was twenty seven years old and leaves two sons."? That was how it was done before a great deal of the UK population caught the "Celebrity Claptrap". There are a few of us gamely trying to fight this nightmare infection - perhaps you should applaud our efforts.
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#209
"...the public is so mad they had no chance of coming up with any approach that would work."
Of course it's possible to come up with something that would work, just by analysing the news content within a story, lets take two extremes, the economy affects everyone, from millionaires to those who are borderline tramps, celeb news affects only celebs and those who dream of the life. News worthiness is, or should be, not what is popular but what affects the most people.
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As much as I feel sorry for her and her family losing her life at such a young age, I would have more empathy if she had given all her publicity money to cancer charities as she was already a millionaire. I cannot understand the superstar status she had and understand even less the minds of the people who watch car crash tv like big brother, jeremy kyle etc... GET A LIFE !!! I'm sure the good people of Bermondsey will not mind their council tax paying for a statue to her. confused.......................
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Writing as someone still in their twenties, I have given up on traditional forms of media. I don’t watch my television anymore, haven’t done for about a year (though I still pay TV license) and I don't buy newspapers. I get most of my news from rss feeds, pod casts, and the (occasionally) iplayer. I had avoided this piece of news until I listened to Andrew Marr both yesterday and the week before, and to be honest it drove me absolutely insane. I can't understand why the BBC would think that the sort of person who watches AM's show would be even mildly interested in JG's death? Even if the BBC has to waste time on this they should keep it away from shows watched by people with valuable things to do with their time.
I find it highly disappointing that the BBC is wasting so much valuable air time and web space on a subject so vacant. In a time when so much of the rag, chip-paper, and toilet media are focusing on things so devoid of relevance to just about any rationally minded human being on the planet, the BBC is supposed to be reporting NEWS! That's why they get the license fee, so that they don't have to swim in the gutter with the rest of the press. It enables them to focus on the important things that are affecting our economy, national security, social welfare, health etc.
It is also sad that the Prime Minister of all people has been forced to issue a statement on this flatulent matter, especially given the seriousness of the situation that the economy is in. I hope he scrubbed his mouth with strong toothpaste afterwards.
People have tried to justify this "news" by saying that it brought cancer to light. What a load of absolute rubbish, the press had their snouts in JG before she became ill, it's easier and less challenging than disseminating actual news, and God forbid that they should tell us something worth knowing! Does anyone actually know the name(s) of these faceless scientist(s) that developed these tests for cervical cancer? No, the press just wastes our time talking about garbage. GIGO!
I hope that the toilet paper press goes out of business soon, I am happy that the internet is driving them into the ground. I am frankly sick of the sight of them. They have dug their own grave, and when they are dead I'll be first in line to dance on it.
If it isn’t already, it should be the job of the BBC to educate and enlighten society rather than pandering to its lowest common denominator.
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As a student of jounalsim I study news agendas and how important the what news goes on and when. The tragic loss of Jade Goody has unfortunatly become something that the magazines are dragging on. I think we should personally let her be now, unfortunatly people still want to read about the aftermath and what is happening to her family now. If there is a audience there is news and news makes money.
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#213
"If it isn't already, it should be the job of the BBC to educate and enlighten society rather than pandering to its lowest common denominator."
It is, and has been since John (later, Lord) Reith set up the BBC...
#214
"If there is a audience there is news and news makes money."
Sorry but you are mixing up news and 'gossip', I think you meant; If there is a audience there is gossip and gossip makes money. News is news and will still be news even if there is no money to be made and little if any gossip.
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Thank God someone with some bulls (Michael Parkinson) has said what he has about Jade Goody and the whole stunningly pointless media circus about someone of zero consequence. Only the thundering ignorance of a pack of news hungry cretins has kept this story afloat as long and as painfully as it has! People with Cancer are suffering quietly and with dignity every day and it's frankly contemptable that Max Clifford can hypnotize the media in the way he has and effectively trivialise their suffering.
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Whilst I thought she irritated me as a person, and the coverage is dragging on now, at least it increases the awareness of cervical cancer, and hopefully funding with that.
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I too felt that the coverage on the day was disproportionate. Most of us want to see the 'news' when we choose a news channel to watch and on that particular day, about 23 0r 24 minutes (BBC News 24) was given to the Jade Goody story before they even went to 'now today's other news'. I think a more balanced approach is needed, no matter what the headline, ie: report it in context, let us know what the other important issues are then if it justifies it, return to the leading issue later in the programme. This is particularly relevant on News 24 where the second part of the hour's coverage often includes more in depth coverage of another item or is filled with endless waffle from the news readers. BBC, we think you got it wrong on this occassion.
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I think it's a shame that Michael Parkinson hasn't got better things to do with his retirement than whine about poor Jade Goody!! He just sounds like an old woman. I'm sorry but one of the reasons people feel so strongly about her early death was that she overcame her early beginnings - did he possibly bother to listen to what her former teacher said at her funeral? It's too easy to pass "judgement" I wonder what gives Parky the authority to speak about this poor girl? There but for the grace of God Parky!! We all know he wasn't born with a silver spoon in his mouth, but people feel an element of themselves when they look at an ordinary girl like that. She never made out she was a princess, she was honest & true to her roots & overcame all kinds of problems. Pit Parky can't be a little more human himself!!
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"Parky" was spot-on, please read it and start smelling the coffee...
In case others have not seen;
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/7987426.stm
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well done parky
typical media garbage, they create a story about a nobody
they brainwash the public by making any old news about that person
people are sick of hearing about this
try and find some real news rather than printing this rubbish
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Do we really need a film about this no-marks life? I do feel for her and her family but the media coverage of the funeral made me sick to my stomach. What exactly did she do for the country that her funeral deserved 24 pages of coverage in the Sun, including a 12 page pullout?
Her most famous quote was on Big Brother "Am I minging?", "yes Jade, you were!"
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At long last someone with a bit of common sense has finally said what needed to be said regarding Jade Goody's death. Michael Parkinson has stated correctly that Jade was indeed exploited by the media and she didn't have the intelligence to know it. He also rightly said, in my opinion, that she came to represent everything that is paltry about Britain today. Parkinson also pointed out, correctly in my opinion, that the media had, at one point, absolutely hated Goody and then attempted to manipulate the public by first trying to turn everyone against her and then, when she's diagnosed with cancer as sad as that may be, the media suddenly portray her as a saint.
Lest we should forget the whole racism row surrounding Jades appearance on Celebrity Big Brother; that was the real Jade Goody, a foul-mouthed, racist bully.
It would appear that even the Prime Minister has been manipulated into believing the media fantasy of Goody. Remember at the time of the racism row, the Prime Minister Gordon Brown had to issue a statement defending Britain and decrying racism, as soon as she's dead he makes some hypocritical statement about what a wonderful person she was!
Thank goodness for Michael Parkinson - the voice of those of us who have not bought into this media circus and who can truly see the whole sorry mess as something the British nation should all be ashamed of.
I noticed the current edition of OK magazine yesterday and it would appear that Goody's 'bereaved' husband is attempting to continue her dubious legacy by selling his 'grief' to the highest bidder.
Remember the days when this nation used to be characterised by restraint, respect and poise. Not any more; but at least Michael Parkinson has struck a blow for those who still believe in those old values. He will undoubtedly be heavily criticised for his comments but I for one am thankful for his refreshing and honest words.
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Pompous Parkinson.Why cannot he leave Jane Goody to rest in peace,she did nothing to intentionally to make money. Parkinson himself questionably exploits poor and elderly people by adding his name to advertising Insurers who are sold unnecessary 'Funeral Plans.
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228
"Why cannot he leave Jane Goody to rest in peace, she did nothing to intentionally to make money"
What utter nonsense, Ms Goody lived (most of) her life and died in the public eye, at her own request, if she wanted to be anonymous then she should have got a job in a supermarket...
Talk about calling the kettle black, oh no you're so right, Goody never applied to take part in Big Brother and then never signed any media contracts after she got booted out (twice)...
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I agree whole heartedly with Sir Michael Parkinson, I'm surprised nobody else has opened their mouth and given their views beforehand, IE.. the newspapers , magazines and people that really know. Jade the bully as I like to call her ( because she was) didn't deserve to die ,no one does, but like its been reported again and again ,for instance Dr Chris Steel from the morning TV, said that Jade had been repeatedly recalled to the hospital following tests for treatment , but didn't attend appointments,
As we all know going on to use the name of cancer for the last year, to turn public opinion round to her once again. She wasn't thinking of her sons but to earn over twenty million pounds through the name of cancer. Now remember she had no friends because of who she was, a vicious manipulating person that had a bigger Ego than anyone on the planet. Max Clifford knew it, and her so called friends or entourage around her knew it ..the so called friends that were bottom feeders, Had they had been true friends they would have told her early last year, sort yourself out at the hospital...That's what normal friends do isn't it? But Jade couldn't stop herself, the addiction for power meaning money and her face in magazines firing her ego. I can prove this in two points.
Point 1. She knew she had cancer before she went to India ,remember she could turn the tears on and off any time she wanted to, it was her way of getting out of the holes she dug for herself ..using the feel sorry for me act. She used it in celebrity big brother in england, as we all know particularly in the diary room saying “ I don't want to lose all my money.” I digress back to the point, she told her people in the UK I don't want to spend more than two days in India,make sure the phone call goes through there and i'll make sure the station shows it live for a bigger impact. she wanted this to work because her perfume and book sales had taken a dive after the racism incident...this is a fact!
Point 2. Jade made sure O k magazine printed a week before her death the memorial copy of her life , all so she could see it, and approve it ...this is how big her ego was. Apparently she also recorded her death scene again and again and again ...this is how manipulative she was.
I reported this myself a week before.. as she was doing it, and she read it on bebo and facebook's Danviews blog's, she was displeased believe me. And her final orders was to make sure the public was told she had died on mothering Sunday ...all for a bigger impact. Her entourage agreed and sources that I know close to her, said she actually passed away Friday, all this was for her to get the biggest impact possible. She told Max Clifford to just go for it and remember Max will do anything, if he can say Freddie Starr ate a hamster and grab the front page headlines and earn a ton of money from the name of cancer the man has no soul ...or heart , his own wife died of it.
This is just one of my blogs , there are many and all of them tell the truth, over the last four weeks, none of it's lies....FACT.
MAX CLIFFORD'S FIASCO OF A FUNERAL....THE CIRCUS HAS ENDED....FINALLY ?
Well what can I say, Max Clifford and all his hype, you've got to understand he's had four weeks to work at it. Saying there would be hundreds of thousands of people in coach loads attending the funeral,What a load of lies ! Remember I live there, I would say there was only between 3 -4 and a half thousand people turned up,they were almost all from surrounding areas,NOT from all around the world. She was Not a Princess Diana, nor thought of as one,Diana's funeral was massive Jades was abysmal...you couldn't compare the two...Max tried...LOL
Max tried his best after the funeral, bigging Jack the Thug up...and the reason, probably he's now Jacks PR agent.....and we all know that Jack the Thug wasn't by her side, the way he tries to make it out.
Well at least Sky news told the truth today, by saying there were only a few thousand, but more Incredible for the first time they had Dr Chris Steel from morning TV on confirming that Jade repeatedly had ignored test results and recalls to the hospital .He said had she have taken notice she could have been treated successfully and been alive today for her boys.
There was absolutely no way Jade would have stopped pursuing money or her Ego for her sons. Inspirational she was and is NOT.
Max Clifford trying to say that Jade has saved lives is absolute rubbish it was a by product that's all.
Like I've always said she used the cancer and the feel sorry for me act just to earn money, it was never for her two boys they were already millionaires , because she was already a millionaire.
The only positive thing I can say that has come out of today, was the message sent from Jeff the boys father to Sky news, saying him and the two boys had a little ceremony on the beach in Australia where Bobby and Freddy wrote messages to their mum, put them in bottles and threw them out to sea, saying a prayer to their mum....Now that's what you call with Dignity...WELL DONE JEFF at least you're not within the circus,and you kept your boys out of it.
Well Jade the Bully you earned over twenty million for your bottom feeders...meaning Jack the Thug , Jackiey Budden, and your so called friends...Well we definitely saw their crocodile tears today didn't we.
You used the name of cancer, you all should be disgusted with yourselves.
GIVE THE MONEY BACK !
It belongs to a charity ….you and your lot are not a charity.
It's a shame Max Clifford didn't represent Jane Tomplinson for his multimedia coverage to earn millions, at least the money then would have gone to a cancer charity, in the name of such a lovely and truly inspirational woman...JANE TOMPLINSON ...WHAT A LOVELY LADY.
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Whilst much of his commentary on Jade Goody is apposite, Parkinson has acted like a sanctimonious fool. He made a living (and his knighthood) off the back of celebrity exposure and exploitation, and no matter how it is written up (the thinking person's antidote to guilty conscience) he is and was as bad as the rest.
There is not a celebrity on the face of this planet that is deserving of the persistent torrent of coverage that our media thrust out in turbo charged garbage. These are well heeled people who know nothing of the injustice on this planet. They work in a ruthless, fickle business and it is only the honest ones who hide away, seek privacy, and protect their loved ones and children.
No matter who it is, every human being has a story to tell, and, if truth were known, a potential income to be made from their life. Any manipulative PR guru knows how to exaggerate context and words to impress and confound (and often lie).
Jade Goody's life demonstrated the media's capacity to repackage detritus as a product to be sold - the useless transformed into the useful. And those with more money than sense jump quickly upon the bandwagon as they always do. It is the three card trick explained in great detail to an audience who still don't get it when there is money at stake. This story shows just how "history" can bedevil us. The media is a propaganda machine and we are the fools that make it what it is.
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Coverage was over the top.
But then, when most of the stories in the country are about the staggering incompetence of government, and the BBC's funding hinges on the government, what do you expect?
The BBC once had a reputation for fine journalism.
Now it has one of producing tabloid rubbish to deflect from the dire situation in the country, and its independence and impartiality have been completely shot to pieces.
Revoke the licence tax - now!
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...and now, as of 10:45 BST, we get Goody's widow hogging the "England" headlines (with his criminal conviction), the BBC really is becoming nothing more that a worthless tabloid - as I've said before - if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and waddles like a duck then it should be feed like a duck and not a state protected Swan...
Enough is a enough.
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