The Media and Michael Jackson Essay Example

music quickly gained popularity and eventually reached the pinnacle of the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Rolling Stone magazine recognized the group's growing talent, especially Michael's rapid rise as a singer in the 1970s. From 1972 onward, he pursued a successful solo career that brought both chart success and significant earnings. Leaving the group in 1975 (Henning 2009), he recorded some of his most famous albums, including "Thriller," which sold over 26 million copies in the United States. In the early 1980s, his performance of "Billie Jean" introduced his iconic dance style known as "the moonwalk," causing a sensation. He also played a crucial role in raising funds for famine-stricken people in Ethiopia by collaborating with other notable artists to create the song "We Are the World." All things considered, Michael Phelps lived an extraordinary and constantly evolving life.

Despite his claims, Michael Jackson's change in skin color was attributed to vitiligo. Throughout his life, he faced controversy, including settling a child molestation case for $20 million in 1994 (Henning 2009). He also had multiple lawsuits with promoters that resulted in significant financial losses. Unfortunately, it wasn't until his untimely death on June 25, 2009 due to propofol and benzodiazepine intoxication (Woodward 2014) that he was able to fully recover from the damage caused by these legal battles.

Michael Jackson and media

The paparazzi constantly pursued Michael Jackson due to his celebrity status.

Both the mainstream media and magazines have influenced how different aspects of Michael Jackson's life are portrayed, possibly distorting or uncovering the truth. Michael himself often criticized the biased and unfair coverage he received from the media. There were cases where the media's motives were self-serving, aiming to

gain more followers. It is important to recognize that Michael Jackson was not only a news subject but also a target for the very same media. Few individuals can match his unmatched impact on popular culture through music videos, magazine features, and movies. Magazine outlets have been documenting his career since its early beginnings.

(Whannel 2010) discusses how Rolling Stone continuously featured Michael Jackson on their cover, showcasing his iconic afro hairstyle at the time. Despite this, the magazine had a large following. Other magazines like Ebony, Woman's Day, Mojo, Dia Siete, TV guide, Who, and Cool also featured Michael Jackson (Fischer 2012). Many of these magazines focused primarily on MJ's extravagant persona, giving little attention to his personal and human qualities. Jackson's dance moves and fashion choices, including his leather jacket, fedora, and signature glove, became ingrained in popular culture.

Some magazines, including Classic Rock Magazine, accused him of being a child molester even before the trial (Woodward2014). Meanwhile, TV stations and major newspapers were obsessed with every story about Michael Jackson. Collins R (2012) points out that when the child molestation scandal broke, media outlets such as NBC's Dateline and ABC's 20/20 rushed to air dedicated episodes, overlooking other important events such as a bomb attack in Turkey. The Sun, the largest newspaper in the UK, printed a headline that read: 'He's Bad, He's Dangerous, He's History' (Sullivan, Randall 2012).

Despite the lack of clear evidence of racist bias, it is possible that rumors about Michael Jackson's changed skin color and plastic surgery were propagated to make him appear like a white person, which he denied. This suggests that both mainstream media and magazines had opinions

about the pop star. Both sides exhibited bias and exaggeration, although the mainstream media was primarily responsible for this. However, major magazines were also interested in promoting a narrative that resonated with the younger audience who were heavily influenced by Jackson's music and lifestyle. The fact that these magazines did not prioritize his scandal, unlike larger media outlets, could be seen as leniency towards him.

REFERENCE LIST

• Garde-Hansen .2006. Media and memory. Edinburgh: Edinburgh University Press.
• Collins, R. 2012. Michael Jackson vs. Conrad Murray the trial. S.l.: Lulu Com.
• Henning, Shawn. 2009. Michael Jackson: the book the media doesn't want you to read.

Bloomington, IN: AuthorHouse.

2010. "News, celebrity, and vortextuality: a study of the media coverage of the Michael Jackson verdict." Cultural Politics no. 1: 65. Academic OneFile, EBSCOhost (accessed April 15, 2016).

Fischer, Mary A. 2012. Was Michael Jackson Framed? : The Untold Story That Brought Down a Superstar. New York: Mary A. Fischer, 2012. Discovery eBooks, EBSCOhost (accessed April 15, 2016).