Is the relationship between journalists and celebrities (and/or their agents) symbiotic?

It is noted in 'Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction' (2009, p.182) that ever since Tony Blackburn's win on 'I'm A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here -and the ten million viewers that watched him- made the headlines of not only the ITV news but also that of the BBC, the frequency of celebrity stories present in the news agendas of UK print and broadcast outlets seems to have accelerated to previously unseen levels. Certainly it seems that celebrity stories ranging from movie premires to popstar breakdowns have rightly or wrongly become staples of the modern day news bulletin. So what has caused this increase of news which some might claim to be barely newsworthy at all? One possibility could be the complex yet reportedly often well-oiled relationship between celebrities, their agents and the journalists themselves. But does the relationship work well enough to be labelled symbiotic? Or do the separate agendas of three very different groups come together to in fact create a far less amicable association? Initially looking at the relationship between celebrities and the media, it seems undeniable that it fits squarely with the definition of a symbiotic relationship. In a country so enamoured with celebrity culture that someone can become famous for simply being themselves on a reality TV show without displaying anything worth being labelled a talent, there has arguably never been a more easy time to become famous. 'Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction' (2009, p.183) states that 'with the rise of reality television, fame has become accessible to everyone', and with this in mind, a rising number of people across the country have been able pursue and achieve this so called 'fame' for doing very little. At the same time, the British appetite for celebrity stories has arguably never been higher, with all possible media platforms from newspapers to magazines to modern day blogs and vlogs devoting some (and in certain instances all) of their attention to celebrity culture. Therefore, with hundreds of fame hungry wannabe celebrities clamouring for attention on reality TV shows such as Big Brother and The X Factor and then wishing to extend their fifteen minutes of fame beyond the lifespan of a short-lived TV competition, many are more than willing to sell their scandalous 'tell all' stories to anyone who'll listen and pay. Both parties therefore receive a mutual benefit out of the deal; the celebrity receiving additional coverage and 'fame' as well as getting an often sizeable pay-cheque and the media getting more celebrity stories to fulfil the nation's seemingly insatiable appetite, equalling high readership and increased financial return. On the other side of the coin, it is also arguable that the relationship between celebrities and the media isn't symbiotic at all. Tony Harcup's 'Newspaper Journalism' (2010, p.112) states that 'Celebrities who have welcomed exposure on the way up usually seek privacy when they have got there', suggesting that although celebrities may enjoy the attention whilst they start to make a name for themselves and climb the celebrity ladder, when they reach the top they will ultimately shun the media or at least make sure that it only works to their advantage. This suggests that A-listers -ironically the people that reporters would like to talk to the most- will be more reclusive and sensitive to what is being written about them than a C-list reality TV star wanting the exposure, regardless of whether it's positive or negative. This has perhaps been most recently evident in the case of pop singer Britney Spears. During a round of promotional interviews last year in radio and TV stations for her latest album, US radio host Carson Daly revealed the magnitude of protection surrounding interviews with such an A-lister by tweeting I was just TOLD my Britney Spears interview tomm on AM Radio MUST be pre-recorded & submitted 4 approval by HER mgmt b4 it can air! F THAT! [Interviews are] never that restricted. Even when I interviewed Michael Jackson, it wasn't anything like this ... it's really insane (2011, popcrush.com) Given the extreme nature of Britney's 2007 media breakdown it is perhaps arguable that such restriction on reporters is necessary or at least justifiable in the face of probing questions bringing on further trauma, however it certainly ties in with the following quote from 'Newspaper Journalism', it is only when the celebrity climbs to, or is already at, the highest level that tensions and conflict develop (2010, p.112). In instances like this, it seems to be impossible to say that the relationship between

celebrities and the media is symbiotic due to the reluctance of one side to participate fully, causing difficulty for the other to do their job freely. The root cause of instances like the one described above is often the involvement of public relations organisations, media agents and celebrity handlers and in order to analyse whether or not the relationship between the media and celebrities operates symbiotically or not, it seems impossible not to also analyse the involvement of PR in the relationships between the media and the celebrity respectively. Born according to 'Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction' out of the burgeoning 1930's Hollywood industry in response to fan's voracious appetites (2009, p.182) regarding the real lives of its film stars, the modern day PR industry has proved to be something of both a help and a hindrance to reporters across the world. There is an argument that the relationship between public relations agents and the media is symbiotic in that during a time where marketplace demand for celebrity stories is undeniably high, PR organisations could be said to be something of a holy grail for celebrity news stories. Because of the nature of PR agents wanting to get their clients out into the press and get headlines, the representatives will often flood journalists inboxes with the latest press releases about what their clients are up to. This is backed up by Ralph Tench in Exploring Public Relations (2009, p.296), who admits that One of the first things most of us do when we start working in PR is to write press releases for media distribution and cross our fingers hoping to get coverage. It is through this submission of PR material that reporters have an easy and quick way to make or at least incorporate- the material into some sort of news story without having to do any of the heavy lifting themselves. Both parties therefore get something beneficial out of the transaction; the reporter gets an easy star story to sell on for profit and the PR agent ensures their own financial return by doing their job of getting the client publicity. It is perhaps this notion of two incomes being systematically linked that drives the PR industry to promote their clients successfully. This is noted in Stardom and Celebrity: A Reader (2007, p.193), which acknowledges that the income of a PR agent is linked to their effective management of their clients. It is further noted here that As the asset appreciates as the celebrities fame spreadsso does its earning capacity. This suggests that PR agents need to also succeed in getting their clients to scale the celebrity ladder, as their own financial return will not increase if the clients star power doesnt also escalate. However it is also arguable that the relationship between the media and the PR industry is more antagonistic than symbiotic. Whilst it is true that PR representatives are more than happy to send out press releases in the hope of securing headlines, it is by no means a guarantee that the information that they provide will end up being used in the way they might hope. It is stated in Dynamics Of Public Relations And Journalism: A Practical Guide For Media Studies (2001, p.2) that many journalists feel that PR agents only cover up and do not supply the real hard facts, further discussing how reporters can be sometimes sceptical about information received by those working in PR. The root cause of such scepticism stems from the fact that the PR industry will often only release overly sanitised accounts of their clients activities. It stands to reason that PR agents are only going to release information that suits the best interests of their client, therefore whereas journalists may receive countless press releases about a celebritys recent charity work, they wont be receiving anything about their latest drugs scandal. This is backed up by Aeron Davis in 'Public Relations Democracy:Public Relations, Politics And The Mass Media In Britain' (2002, p.27) who states that for every story fed to the media, there is one being carefully kept out. This idea of repressed negativity is further reinforced by Nick Davies in 'Flat Earth News' (2009, p.87), who remarks thatthe police officer who wins a commendation for bravery gets a press release; the officer who is caught drunk on duty gets none. It is this duplicity between free information about the positives and restricted information about the negatives that could be said to encourage journalists to contact other sources and ultimately put a negative spin on what couldve been a positive story. Such actions are discussed by Gerry Brown in Tabloid Tales (2000, p.172), who talked about how you ditch the press release you've been offered on the warm, loveable leading

character of a top soap opera and you root around in the dirt and reveal that he or she left his or her old mum to live in poverty in a run-down block of council flats. It is accounts such as this which highlight the conflicts that can and do occur between an overly sanitised PR industry and an increasingly tabloid-orientated media searching for scandalous celebrity stories, and overall paints a picture of two organisations that definitely dont operate symbiotically. Another argument against the symbiotic operation of the PR and media industries would be how agents can put up barriers between the reporter and the celebrity. This is discussed in Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction (2009, p.182), which states that Journalists increasingly find themselves having to negotiate a number of constraints placed upon them by the minders and public relations entourages that accompany celebrities. As evident in the Britney Spears case discussed above, it is commonplace nowadays for celebrities to have certain questions placed offlimits to reporters in sit-down interviews. It was perhaps Tom Cruise however who was at the forefront of the celebrity movement for controlling and manipulating the media. In a 2009 interview with Italian publication LeiWeb whilst promoting his latest film, it was widely reported (2009, guardian.co.uk) that there were three rules put in place that the reporter had to adhere to. The first was that the journalist had to have seen the film, the second that the interviewer had to have liked the film, and thirdly that the reporter understood that Scientology had not been banned in Germany. Although the article has now been taken down, the reports of the incident still exist. The fact that the article reportedly opened by listing the three rules in its introduction could be said to give a pretty clear idea of why it no longer exists. It could be said that when celebrities and agents try to purely use the media to their own advantage and have it play out solely in their favour, that reporters can feel restricted or defiant and then determined to act against them. This is echoed in Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction (2009, p.183) when BBC Radio 5s entertainment reporter Colin Paterson is quoted as saying that While there might be a bit of give and take for an A List star, I won't put up with some of the daft controls some of the agents try to impose. I'd rather not do the story and the upshot is that they don't get the publicity. This response mirrors that of Carson Dalys in the Britney scenario, who ended up not conducting the interview with her and overall suggests that it is the celebrity that misses out the most by not getting the promotion that their career no matter how A-list it may be- ultimately thrives upon. The relationship between PR agents and the celebrities is also interesting to look at when analysing the degree of symbiosis in the media. On the one hand, a public relations agent is arguably an invaluable tool for any celebrity attempting to build a career in todays media. Stardom And Celebrity: A Reader (2007, p.194) notes that From the celebrities point of view, their personal objective is likely to be the construction of a viable career through the distribution and regulation of their side of the celebrity commodity which suggests that whilst they may have the talent and potential to become a star, they often lack the direction, the know-how and perhaps most importantly- the contacts that they need to make a name for themselves on their own. The book further stresses the importance of the PR industry to celebrities by discussing how Celebrities need advice about how to market themselves- much in the way a manufacturing a business will use specialist to help them develop a marketing plan, a system for modifying and improving the product and a strategy for building and maintaining consumer loyalty which adds further weight to the idea that celebrities often need a team of people who know the ins and outs of the business of the celebrity industry and are well-trained in the art of making talented (or not as the modern-day case may be) people into stars. Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction (2009, p.183) also discusses the importance of a PR agent to a celebrity stating how Celebrities learned very quickly the worth of maintaining their image to enhance their career, which suggests that the PR industry has been quite a long-standing tool for potential celebrities. The relationship here would appear to be symbiotic through how the celebrity gets the invaluable assistance they need to make a name for themselves and the PR agent gets rewarded financially for how well they do their job. Broadcast Journalism: A Critical Introduction (2009, p.183) also adds weight to the idea of symbiosis

between the celebrity and the media by suggesting that the thriving PR industry gives validation to theories that the level of symbiosis between celebrities and the media is greater than either might admit. However, as with the other pairings, there are also arguments that suggest that the relationship between the PR industry and their celebrity clients does not always work symbiotically. For example, it is important to remember that although the PR agent is most likely always going to be an invaluable help in terms of business know-how and making connections, it can also often be the case that the celebrity feels somewhat repressed by being told what to do and how to act in order to give the right impression. Stardom And Celebrity: A Reader (2007, p.194) notes this, stating how Unlike factory-built products, celebrities have minds of their own and the capacity for independent action. This suggests that despite how manufactured things can get in the world of celebrity, at the core of the situation is a real person. If that person gets tired of playing the game or giving off a PR endorsed image which may not really represent them, they can act out against their handlers and take their own independent action. A prime example of this would be the case of X Factor contestant Stacey Solomon. Solomon came third in the 2009 edition of the TV talent competition and went on to be crowned Queen of the Jungle in the 2010 run of Im A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here and recently spoke out about her experiences with her X Factor management team after the show had ended. Speaking of experience she said I became part of the machine. I felt like a puppet. I was given a contract and I signed it. Id have signed anything. They could have told me to shave my head and I would have said pass me the razor. It was later I realised there was nothing I could do and I felt tied in. There were lots of jobs I couldnt do (2011, musicrooms.net). Solomon had wanted to sign a deal with PR giant Max Clifford, but was tied into her X Factor contract and was eventually taken to court by her team and sued for damages. Although her old management would perhaps be understandably angered by how Solomon was attempting to move to a different PR firm, in her description above, it suggests that the X Factor team had prevented her from taking on jobs that she wanted to do, tying in with the idea that the relationship between celebrities and their PR people can go sour as soon as the star expresses an interest in doing something they dont approve of. The PR people themselves can also make actions which jeopordise the relationship between them and their clients. Stardom And Celebrity: A Reader (2007, p.194) discusses how agents will often have a number of celebrity clients on their books in order to protect themselves against the fact that they do not have complete control over their investment. Given the nature of this spread of interests and also the fact documented in Stardom And Celebrity: A Reader (2007, p.194) that certain sections of the sports and entertainment industries do not normally offer strong prospects of longevity (pop music would be one), those more savvy PR professionals may not have as long as an investment in their client as the celebrity may think. The book further adds weight to this by saying how Occasionally, the agent or manager may find that they have a compelling but short term interest in maximising the current returns from their celebrity commodity: when the celebrity becomes a particularly 'hot' property for instance. This suggests that sometimes the nature of the partnership may be that the client is searching for a long-term media career whilst their PR agent is all too aware that their star will only be burning for a limited time. Given the nature of the many media-made celebrities running the celebrity circuit these days, it isnt too hard to imagine how such situations could occur. If so, it would be impossible to call the relationship between the two symbiotic if the client was going ahead with unrealistic aspirations, only to be dropped by their public relations team when their star starts to fade. Overall, the question of whether or not symbiosis exists between the media, celebrities and their PR representatives is a difficult one to answer. On the one hand, it is simply undeniable that symbiosis can and does occur within the celebrity circuit, with journalists routinely contacting and working with press representatives in order to arrange meetings, conduct interviews and write stories about

their celebrity clients and with press people creating overly sanitised press releases for consumption by reporters looking for celebrity stories. However, my research has also shown that there can be instances where the symbiosis is challenged and compromised by unrealistic demands and behind the scenes struggles, particularly in the A-lister filled upper tiers of the of celebrity industry. However, ultimately I feel that symbiotic relationships are prevalent within the industry, and that the symbiosis between the three groups works to drive the high frequency of celebrity stories that we see in the press today.

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