The article I chose to do a review of reported the findings of an analysis of media coverage on the stories of the DUIs of four celebrities: Michelle Rodriguez, Nicole Richie, Paris Hilton, and Lindsey Lohan. The experiment strictly analyzed the coverage and not the influence it had on viewers and readers, but pointed out that because these are celebrities, they do have the ability to influence the behavior of people observing them. The article also pointed out that the media, through these events, can also influence the observers, depending on how the media reports a story. The article also discussed how much media affects the youth today, especially female youth and adolescents, and reported that trends in drinking and in drinking and driving have risen among young people recently.
For the study, the scientists gathered certain forms of publication on the DUIs of each celebrity and reported the different information found in each piece of coverage. The article reports that most of the findings pertained to Lohan, though this is probably accounted for in that she had two DUI arrests, unlike all of the other celebrities who had one.
The sad part about the findings of this experiment were what was covered in the media about these arrests. Most of the coverage focused on the individual celebrity and not on the drinking and driving. The consequences were strictly discussed in legal terms; nothing was discussed having to do with the emotional or other typed of consequences suffered from this behavior. Even more shocking was that very few stories even mentioned injury or the possibility of injury. The experiment also analyzed the tone used to report these stories and found that an overwhelming majority of the newscasts and articles took a lighthearted tone, even though this is obviously a very serious matter.
Perhaps the saddest result found in this study was that there was minimal information in any of the coverage about preventing occurrences like this. Alcohol can be so dangerous, especially when someone intoxicated gets behind the wheel, and people should know the consequences and prevention methods.
Smith, Katherine, Twum, Denise, and Gielen, Andrea. "Special Issue: The Message and the Media. Media Coverage of Celebrity DUIs: Teachable Moments or Problematic Social Modeling" Alcohol and Alcoholism. 44.3. (2009) n. pag. Web. March 24, 2011.
Excellent review of this article. I concur with your statement, "Perhaps the saddest result found in this study was that there was minimal information in any of the coverage about preventing occurrences like this. Alcohol can be so dangerous, especially when someone intoxicated gets behind the wheel, and people should know the consequences and prevention methods."
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