Michael Jackson, aka the King of Pop, was finally laid to rest at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, California, on the 3rd of September 2009. Since his death on June 25th of this year, the media spotlight has been constantly on him (agenda setting), following every single bit of detail available and introducing us to the world which Michael Jackson lived in--a world of glamour, fame, drugs and family.
One question should be asked. What was the agenda of the media owners (gatekeepers- Shoemaker & Reese, 1991) in covering his story? Michael Jackson was just a famous pop star; there were many famous pop stars in the music industry, but why did they have to do a full coverage on him instead of some other stars like Demi Levato or the Jonas Brothers?
The answer was plain simple--Michael Jackson was a legend, he was royalty, he was the King of Pop and the Prince of Rock. By selecting him over other celebrity news, this process used by the media is known as priming.Note: Farrah Fawcett, a former Charlie's Angels passed away on the same day too, but the media spent a few seconds on her and concentrated the rest of their time on Michael Jackson's.
This is a picture of Farrah Fawcett who was famous for her role as Jill Monroe in Charlie's Angels. In addition, Michael Jackson was once believed to be able to rule the world. He had a massive fan base all over the world, regardless of race and religion; he brought them together with his music. Fans cried and fainted when they saw him at his concerts; the public loved with him. Therefore, the media owners wanted his story (unobtrusive issue) because people were interested in Michael Jackson. They achieved further success when Michael Jackson was supposedly murdered by his own physician.
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It is really sad because that despite after death, Jackson was still unable to truely rest in peace. Even his "private" funeral became a not-so-private affair in the end, thanks to the media. In addition, the media, till today continues to follow a story related to Jackson, and that is who will get custody of his children (Debbie Roe, I sure hope not?) and how would his property be divided?However, I have to admit that it was the media which spring-boarded him to stardom (Jackson 5 to his solo career). I thank the media and Diana Ross for plucking him from obsurity and sharing him with the world.
Earth Song
Childhood
I am a fan of all his songs but I feel that these two songs speak to me more than the others. Have a listen, I do hope you love them as much as I do. He was my Idol.
HELLLO!
ReplyDeleteHmm...I'm nt particularly a big fan of MJ although I really love some of his songs. I still don't get the whole MJ fever thing after his death. I mean, he's dead, what can the rest of us do? Not to offend anyone, but I think we should just move on.
I feel sad for MJ as he never got out of any news when he was alive and even after his death. For goodness's sake, just remember him by his songs and not by the mistakes or scandals that he made. After all, his songs will always live in our hearts. :)
-Chu Yuan
I knew who MJ is since i was young, because he's my brother's fan. There were all those computer games based on him because of his moonwalk and touching songs. I've been influenced by my brother to like his songs too.
ReplyDeleteSomehow, I have no idea why the media always broadcast his every move here and then. Actually during all these years after his fame long long time ago, I hardly hear his songs. What I see were his news, which eventually made me develop bad impressions about him.
Now that he had passed on, the media just throw out whatever information they had about him. I wonder when will this whole thing actually die down and let his family live in peace.
Kaihui
Hi Marilyn!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post on Michael Jackson! I agree with how the media placed more emphasis on MJ rather than on other celebrities. This is especially obvious if we compare the coverage on MJ's death to Fawcett's demise. I remember reading the news and wondering why the media did not shed as much light on her as they did on MJ.
One can really see the power of the mass media at work here though, as news of MJ's death spread far and wide real quickly, and fans all over the world mourned his death. The very fact that MJ even attained his global fan base was all thanks to the media anyway, which was the channel by which his fame took flight.
Please comment on my blog posts too! :D
Rachel Lim
MJ has been a great inspiration to all, especially artists around the globe. even Madonna looked up to him and asked him for advice for her music.
ReplyDeletehe raised the bar of music videos and has created a whole new way of expressing oneself.
mass media has raised him up and brought him down in some way. it was mass media that made him so big, gave him so much fame. yet it is also mass media which pulled him down due to the lack of privacy he enjoys. he looks like he is always lonely and does not have many true friends despite his great fame in my humble opinion.
yo marilyn!
ReplyDeletemy friend said to me after his death: they play more of his songs after he died than before he died. =X
somehow i feel that the media is just taking him as a cover story for more readership views. Throughout his life, whenever he did sthg wrong, like he allegedly molested young boys, the media blew it up big time.
Though i seriously have no idea why the media would want a big coverage on his death, i felt that whatever they did was just to increase readership views... all abt his family, his children etc.
Please, he's a human too, he's passed on, why cant the media just MOVE ON as well?
Personally, I think that it is precisely because MJ is undoubtingly a legend in the music industry, which explains why everything that happened to him are featured in capitalized manner. It is in a way inevitable because too many people look up to him.
ReplyDelete5 year old does his signature dance steps with uncanny resemblance.
25 year old grew up with his songs.
45 year old found hope in life because of his voice and his cause.
everybody wants a part of him (its my view even i am not a fan)and the thing that they media could do is to help realize the desire of the fans.
YEs we all love MJ, he was a true legend and lives on amongst us. He created a new era in the music industry. His presence is felt every where. Even today we enjoy all of his music, why cos its relevant. His audience is also massive group, from craddle to grave everyone loves MJ!
ReplyDeleteMJ LIVES ON!
MJ was a music legend. The mass media was able to give him the limelight he needed to make it big. However not all the news about MJ was positive. We do not really know the true character of MJ but only the one that the mass media portrays.
ReplyDeleteNo matter what, I still wish to think that he was a talented star who will be terribly missed.
vanessa
To anorexia>.<
ReplyDeleteWell...sadly to say...its all about the money at the end of the day; the media will be able to a fortune and that includes MJ's record company that he is being signed under. I work at a cd store and his albums sold like hot cakes after he died...approximately 20-30 copies of his greatest hits in a day.
To mywordstosay
ReplyDeleteThe most dangerous thing about the media is that it tends to manipulate news, especially celebrity news simply because that is the sort of gossip everyone would be more interested to know about.