Controversy Surrounds TMZ’s Publication of Liam Payne’s Image
TMZ, the celebrity news outlet renowned for its focus on Hollywood figures, has come under intense scrutiny following its decision to publish an image allegedly depicting the body of Liam Payne, the former One Direction singer, who tragically died after a fall on Wednesday. The outlet later retracted the image amid widespread backlash.
Shayan Sardarizadeh, a journalist at the BBC, expressed his outrage on social media, stating, “TMZ is trying to get clicks and ad money off of a young man’s dead body just minutes after the news of his death. Imagine being a member of Liam Payne’s family and seeing this.”
Initially, TMZ shared a cropped image showing a body lying on a wooden deck, claiming it was taken at a hotel in Buenos Aires where Mr. Payne lost his life. The publication asserted that it could identify him based on his distinctive tattoos. The accompanying text read, “We’re not showing the whole body, but you can clearly see his tattoos — a clock on his left forearm, and a scorpion on his abdomen.” This text was later removed when the image was taken down, indicating a shift in editorial direction.
Despite the removal of the photograph, TMZ opted not to issue a note clarifying the reasons behind their edited story. Attempts to reach a spokesperson for TMZ for comments went unanswered.
According to Kelly McBride, chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership at the Poynter Institute, there are scenarios where the publication of images depicting deceased individuals can be justified from a journalistic perspective. Such cases typically involve a significant public interest element, such as exposing the dire conditions faced by vulnerable populations.
“When you don’t have a journalistic purpose, and you find yourself on the receiving end of criticism from your audience, you often are defensive and have to walk your decisions back,” Ms. McBride noted.
Sean Elliot, chair of the ethics committee for the National Press Photographers Association, emphasized that photo editors should exercise sound editorial judgment when faced with challenging publishing decisions. He remarked, “Is this person famous enough, and is their death significant enough that it’s a cultural touchstone?” He added that such judgments are ultimately for TMZ to determine.
