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85 90 95 100 105 110 115 120 125 130 135 140 the German newspaper’s decision was a hypocritical business calculation, as the report was dominated by a colour photo of the smiling princess and the words: “This is how we wish to remember her” – except that the same page also had the black-and-white Chi image showing an oxygen mask being placed over the face of the dying Diana. So, can we all look now? Is privacy a thing of the past? Have we reached a tipping point past which nothing is taboo? As society searches for answers, the future story of “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin’s death will be worth watching. Irwin died on 4 September 2006 after a barb from a stingray’s tail went through his chest. He was making a film titled Ocean’s Deadliest on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. His last moments were caught on videotape. The original was given to his widow, Terri. Irwin’s manager, John Stainton, was one of a few people to see the footage. He says it will never be shown publicly. “Anything to do with the day that he died – that film is not available,” Stainton told CNN. Ocean’s Deadliest was completed in accordance with Irwin’s agreement with The Discovery Channel and was shown in the US on 21 January. It did not include footage from the day he was killed. […] The public is no longer a bystander in this debate either. Newspapers, magazines and broadcasters now invite us to fill their pages or airtime using services such as the Five News websites (“At least £100 plus your name on air”) and The Sun ’s: “We want videos as well as your great stories and pics.” The genie of information freedom is out of the bottle. Those images of Saddam Hussein show that the mobile phone, that symbol of independence, has become the reporter’s pen and paper. “Citizen journalism” is beginning to define what traditional media around the world should focus on. “This is the truth, as raw as it gets,” says Jeff Jarvis, as he watches the internet fill with blogs and video, opinion and stories from around the world. Does raw truth make it right, though? “Conscience doth make cowards of us all,” says Hamlet in Act III of Shakespeare’s great drama about morality. Today’s global interactive culture means that conscience can hide behind a pseudonym or an avatar. In Hamlet 2.0 , a future Shakespeare may write, “Technology does make voyeurs of us all.” (Eamonn Fitzgerald, Spotlight ; adapted) Talking about the text a) Analyse the situations described in the text. • What is your view of the line of argument of this article? • Which of the examples given above are problematic for you and which are not? b) Describe how technology and voyeurism are related. c) Put forward other situations which you regard as problematic. d) Discuss possible measures to tackle the problem. Writing: To watch or not to watch On the website of a magazine you have just seen a picture or a video clip that you regard as disgusting and not fit for publication on the internet. You have decided to write an email to the editor to protest against it. In your e-mail to the editor you should: • describe the picture/clip that you regard as problematic • explain why you do not think it is right to publish it • make suggestions how the magazine could react to such a situation in the future Write around 250 words . 3 Word bank problem • issue • question • drawback • downside • challenge • problematic • surveillance • to observe • to publish • to stalk • to track • to monitor • to have under surveillance • to witness • to hack • to watch • journalist • reporter • editor • eyewitness • onlooker • bystander • (digital) camera • mobile phone • webcam • CCTV • footage • TV/media/web coverage • rules • guidelines • guiding principle • review • recommendations W 4 93 Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv