Given below are examples of a striking similarity that appeared in the media, in the way in which the death of two important celebrities were reported.
When on June 17, 2009, the sarod maestro Ustad Ali Akbar Khan died at his San Francisco home, the media reported, “The magician’s death has left a void, but the magic remains.” [Harji Malik, “That Unforgettable Concert in Paris…,” The Hindu Friday Review, 26 June, 2009, 1.]
And on June 26, 2009, when the global pop super star Michael Jackson died at the UCLA Medical Centre, Los Angeles, the media reported, “The “Thriller” may be gone, but the thrill will always remain.” [“The Thriller Gone, But The Thrill Remains,” The Hindu (Chennai), 27June, 2009, 19.]
Despite the considerable variations initiated in the media these days, the mass media to a large extent still seem to hold on to the established ways of selecting and treating news events in a stereotyped way characterized by a set of conventional ‘rules’. And therefore, it need not be a mere coincidence that the media language in the two reports cited above which mediate the deaths of two celebrities appear to be very similar. In fact, the language used here is not only similar but also powerful. They powerfully communicate the charisma of two legendary musicians whose personalities are hoped to linger in the minds of many, for generations. This in deed seems to be in line with the studies in the field of media which underscores the importance of the power and depth of any language in communicating the ‘news-value’ of any news determined by its ‘timeliness,’ ‘prominence,’ ‘proximity,’ and the ‘bizarreness,..
Time and again the ‘news-value’ of an individual or society or place is given excessive importance in today’s world. In fact, often, a person is respected and remembered for his or her ‘news-value.’ Though in the reports cited in the beginning of this editorial, it is the media that have attributed respect to the ‘news-value’ of Ustad Ali Akbar Khan and Michael Jackson, we should not overlook the fact that there are many around us who try to create a ‘news-value’ for themselves even using any unjustifiable means. In fact, no individual, society, organization, or religion, seem to overcome this temptation of creating impressions of towering ‘news-values.’ Christianity is no exception.
Three striking examples of people in the Bible who had no much ‘news-value’ but ‘views-value’ are the lad who sacrificed his five loaves and two fish, the Good Samaritan who was moved with pity towards the man who was half-dead, and the widow who offered everything that she had. None of them had any ‘news-value’ in the community they lived. They were unrecognized by the ‘media’. No ‘media’ reported that their ‘magic’ or ‘thrill’ would remain. But we remember them for the ‘views-value’ they held…yes, their love and sacrifice. In fact, they are not only to be respected and honoured, but also to be emulated.
The Bible also speaks about a number of persons who demanded respect and honour by acting to be people of high ‘news-values,’ some examples being the Pharisees, Sadducees, Scribes, and the Priests. They appeared to act as individuals of high spiritual, political, and social profile. Jesus indeed refuted that kind of attitude out-and-out, calling it as sheer hypocrisy. For Jesus, what seemed to be of importance was not ‘news-value’ but ‘views-value.’ Any individual or society, according to Him, was to hold to its heart, lofty views and values of love, care, and sacrifice, which was hoped to transform individuals as well as the society.
In fact, Jesus Himself is remembered for His ‘views-value’ that ultimately led Him to his death upon the Cross, through which the world was redeemed. In other words, if we have a ‘news-value’ now, it is just because of the ‘views-value’ of Jesus, founded on love and self-sacrifice of which the ultimate expression was His death upon the cross. This in deed demands us to be a community committed to high ‘views-values’ through which we would be able to redeem the society around us. There are many around us whose ‘news-value’ is denied, which could be redeemed if and only if we hold on to the same ‘views-value’ of Jesus, i.e., love and sacrifice.
So, let us no more try to create 'news-value' for us rather uphold 'views-value' through which we can make this world a better place to live in.
