To friends and family, former UCLA student Diana Chien was a
loving person, a world traveler and a great high school basketball
player. To the New York Post, as she took her own life, Chien was a
chance to sell newspapers.
There has been wide public outcry since the Rupert Murdoch-owned
tabloid published a full-page, front-page, color photo of Chien
plummeting to her death from a building near New York University
last week.
Her classmates at NYU and friends have expressed outrage, while
media pundits highlighted a new journalistic low ““ even for
the Post. Mental health experts have expressed concern that the
picture could glorify suicide.
Still, the Post stands by its decision ““ and with a bit of
attitude too.
In a note posted on poynter.org, a Web publication for and about
journalists, Post Copy Chief Barry Gross, who was involved in the
decision to publish the photo, said he has “followed, with
amusement and bemusement, the industry tongue-clucking and
hand-wringing” over the photo. He added it is human nature to
be attracted to disturbing images and explained that the Post is in
“a battle for survival on the newsstand every day.”
Gross’ explanations are more than weak ““Â they
are distasteful and disgusting.
He and his paper absolutely should be ashamed that they would
exploit the suicide of a private individual.
And readers should keep on the pressure of disapproval. Any
paper so desperate to sell papers that it would resort to such a
decision does not deserve to be in business.