Prime Time 7, Coursebook plus Semester Self-checks

Most paparazzi hang out in streets and places where celebrities like to spend their time, waiting for an opportunity to snap a picture of a star. Many continue their search until the early hours of the morning – when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse than usual. Some paparazzi are also in contact with informers, like a waiter in a restaurant or a barman, who have information about the whereabouts of celebrities, which they pass on to the paparazzi. Most of the time, the paparazzi get a bad reputation for stalking celebrities. But they argue that the stars or their representatives contact the paparazzi themselves and tell them exactly where the celebrity will be and at what time. It’s a give-and-take relationship between the paparazzi and celebrities, and in a way, both sides rely on the other to make a living. The paparazzi business isn’t like it used to be. Today celebrity photos sell for almost half of what they would have cost ten years ago. This is mainly because celebrity pictures are so widely available. An editor of a big celebrity magazine usually receives between 10,000 and 20,000 images per day. Apart from that, anyone can be a paparazzo nowadays. All you need is a digital camera and you’re off. Recently, more and more celebrities have fought back against the paparazzi. Singer Amy Winehouse, who passed away at age 27 in 2011, won an anti-harassment injunction against them. This meant that they couldn’t follow her around or take any pictures within 100 metres of her home. She had decided to take this step after a swarm of paparazzi pursued her by car, resulting in one vehicle crashing into hers. b) In your own words, summarise the topic’s most important aspects. Focus on the following points: • differences between paparazzi and press photographers • legal aspects • the relationship between celebrities and paparazzi Discussion: Legitimate public interest? Often, paparazzi and tabloid journalists justify their work by claiming their reports served a “legitimate public interest” – the public had the right to know. With a partner, discuss the following questions about paparazzi and the tabloid media. • What is meant by “both sides rely on the other to make a living” in line 24? • What news is of “legitimate public interest” in your view? Give examples from your experience. • Why do/don’t stars have a right to privacy? Writing: The right to know? You have decided to take part in an essay competition. The task is to write an opinion essay (= persuasive essay) discussing why paparazzi and the tabloid press are/aren’t important for our daily desire for information. In your essay you should: • explain which kind of information is relevant for you and why • comment on the conflict between the right to be informed and the right to privacy • describe the two-way relationship between paparazzi and celebrities Give your essay a title. Write around 400 words . 3  4  15 20 25 30 101 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv