Need to know versus would like to know.

[andy-hughes]

This morning, a national tabloid has a large picture showing the bath in which Whitney Houston died, confirming that the water is still in it, and her body had been removed moments before.

Personally speaking, all I need to know is that Ms Houston expired in a bath - I have absolutely no need what ever to see an image of said bath, with or without the water contained within.

Since it appears I am out of step with media thinking - can anyone advise me what is the purpose of placing this image? is any serious interest served, or is it simply tragic titilation, and new depths (pardon the pun!) of tabloid operation?

[daffy654]

I think we all know what a bath looks like, there is no need to show a picture of one, let alone the actual bath she died in.

[squarebear]

Unfortunately, many people like to know every trivial detail about things like this. The paper is merely providing these details.

[maggiebee]

I agree. Our local rag has this terrible habit of reporting an incident in a particular street then showing a half page photo of said street.

[gingejbee]

Most of the pictures (and words, for that matter) in the tabloid press are unnecessary - which is why I never partake.

[peashaq]

Who cares? and who knows if it is the bath where the poor woman died? There's 2 things you can believe in any newspaper, the date and the price.

[douglas9401]

Our leading tabloid, Tha Daily Record, had the first nine and the last seven pages devoted to a football club's tax saga yesterday.
I haven't seen todays yet but I'm guessing more of the same.
People need to get out more.

[Canary42]

Tragic titilation, and new depths of tabloid operation.

[sp1814]

andy-hughes

I have absolutely no idea.

Same with the pictures of Michael Jackson lying on the mortuary slab after he died. It just seemed terribly wrong to me. The satisfaction of morbid curiosity.

[sp1814]

...something else which elicits similar feelings in me: when news channels are reporting something that happened in Parliament that day, I really don't need to see some poor reporter standing outside the Houses of Parliament in the freezing rain.

Or when reporting a news stort from No.10, I don't need to see Nick Robinson standing in Downing Street, wiping the snow off his glasses.

[boxtops]

It's desperation - any photo will do. I found a copy of the Mirror on the bus yesterday, loads of out of focus pics of Whitney leaving clubs, walking about, etc - they'll take pics of anything which might sell. Sad.

[Ankou]

to be honest andy, i'm not sure i even need to know that she died in the bath. it would be interesting to know had she collapsed on the floor, whether they would have provided a photograph of some carpet.

[LoftyLottie]

Agree with sp about the reporting. How much money could the BBC save if they didn't send out reporters to the actual locations? I seem to be relying more and more on the radio for news these days.

[Ankou]

same with the old adage about weather reports.

why do i need to see someone standing in a field or beside a road to know what the weather is like where they are standing ? unless they are at the end of my drive, what use is it to me ? more often in winter they are also in the dark so you can't even see the weather where they are anyway !!

[andy-hughes]

Ankou - I have banged on every winter since the AB started about the apparent need for TV stations to send someone out in the snow to advise viewers that it is snowing - and as I always say, just tell me, I'll understand, I was around in 1963, I know what snow looks like!!!

It does make me wonder whether the proliferation of camera phones and similar is such a good idea when this is what they can be used for. It appears either a hotel employee or a paramedic saw a chance to make a quick buck, and sadly, they succeeded. In an ideal world, any tabloid editor would be able to say that such a picture was pointless because no readers would be interested in seeing it.

[squarebear]

"In an ideal world, any tabloid editor would be able to say that such a picture was pointless because no readers would be interested in seeing it. "

But some people are interested in seeing things like this and that's what sells papers.

[Ankou]

really squarebear ? they would buy a paper just to see a picture of the bath what whitney copped it in ?

why, when only a few hours later you could just see it on google images for free...?

http://jokeslab.com/f...ny-bath-for-horse.jpg

[Ankou]

sorry wrong link.

http://img.thesun.co....d-bath_m_1453462a.jpg

[squarebear]

Not me personally. I didn't know Whitney personally and while I feel for her family, her death has no impact on my daily life but yes, some people for reasons known only to themselves enjoy looking at things like that.

[jake-the-peg]

How do you feel about this photograph?

http://3.bp.blogspot....BFallen%2BSoldier.jpg

[Ankou]

not sure really jake. indifferent i suppose. some say it was staged.

there is no mistaking the authenticity and imagery impact of the vietnam napalm or the general loan shooting.

.... but unless you are suggesting it could have been any old bath in any old hotel in any old town..then not sure where you are going ......... summink of propaganda to pander to the great unwashed ?