Two weeks ago, former One Direction star Liam Payne died after falling from his hotel balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The news of his death immediately began circulating online, including being reported on the celebrity news website TMZ. When reporting on Payne’s death, TMZ acquired and published a picture of the singer’s body after his fall to confirm his passing.
The pictures acquired by TMZ showed Payne’s arm and waist, using his tattoos to “prove” that it was Payne who indeed fell off the balcony. The decision to publish the photo of the deceased singer’s body was met with mass criticism online from both fans and other celebrities, and TMZ eventually took down the photos.
For over a decade, the public has been letting TMZ report celebrity news without consequence. As with most publications, TMZ values timing over everything, however, the outlet operates without the necessary thorough editorial process that includes standard journalistic integrity codes.
The decision to publish the photo of Payne’s body is reprehensible, but should not be surprising considering TMZ’s long history of ignoring the ethical standards of journalism. When NBA Hall of Famer Kobe Bryant died in 2020, the outlet was the first to publish the news, and they were so far out in front of the death that the story was published before Bryant’s family was notified.
When Matthew Perry died last year, TMZ reportedly paid off law enforcement to get access to the story before the public found out. After that report came out, Wolfgang Van Halen took to X to speak on his own experience after his father, Eddie Van Halen, died in 2020, saying that TMZ “paid off people in the hospital when [he] passed,” adding “Couldn’t even fucking grieve for 20 minutes.”
With examples such as Bryant, Perry and Van Halen, it’s expected that TMZ will go through all-out efforts to push the boundaries of what is and is not okay. However, the example of Payne’s death is a deeper issue that completely exits the world of journalism. Being the first to report news, whether the timing is right or not, is one thing. Exploiting an image of a dead man’s body for profit is where the line needs to be drawn.
For over a decade, the public has been letting TMZ report celebrity news without consequence. As with most publications, TMZ values timing over everything, however, the outlet operates without the necessary thorough editorial process that includes standard journalistic integrity codes.
We already live in a country where the reputation of journalism is exponentially receding, and perhaps it’s not a coincidence that TMZ is owned by Rupert Murdoch, the chairman of FOX. It’s important for us to hold TMZ accountable for their years of neglect to any set of morals, and stop allowing situations where the public finds out about a death before the family.
In no way is this article calling for the abolition of TMZ as a publication. What is being argued for, however, is the expanse of laws and practices required by such outlets to ensure the regulation of news-breaking while remaining sensitive towards victims and their families. The circumstances surrounding the reporting of Payne’s death should serve as an everlasting example of the worst side of journalism and should be used to pave a new path for ethical reporting.
wjackso2@ramapo.edu
Featured photo courtesy of @liampayne, Instagram
