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Paparazzi and picture chasers share similar philosophies and reputations, not tactics

Critics call the paparazzi a new breed of intrusive photographers who abuse celebrities, then sell the resulting images. Yet, a hundred years ago, newspapers’ picture chasers in the United States were criticised for similar reasons. Why? Pictures attracted readers and were especially important in an era when the newspaper industry was fiercely competitive in the United States, much like today’s magazine and television industries. In addition, journalists were determined to inform the public, and pictures helped them accomplish that goal.

The controversy in both eras is complicated by questions that appear unanswerable. First, at what point does a person’s right to privacy outweigh the public’s right to know? Second, at what point do journalists become too aggressive (and does the answer to that question vary from story to story)? Third, can anyone set clear-cut rules about the types of pictures that journalists should – or should not – publish? Historically, journalists have decided whether to publish pictures on a case-by-case basis, weighing pictures’ news value against other considerations, and that tradition seems unlikely to change. However, so long as that tradition does not change, the controversy seems certain to continue.

Keywords: Journalism, paparazzi, photojournalism, picture chasers, sensational press