Following the death of Michael Jackson last week, Channel 4 received a number of contacts from viewers commenting upon the way in which the news had been reported and the various programmes that had been scheduled as a result of the pop icon’s death.
Many viewers who contacted the channel said they had appreciated the broadcast of the tribute programme Michael Jackson: A Life in Pop, welcoming it as a positive celebration of Jackson’s music against a backdrop of the day’s news reporting, which they felt had tended to focus “more on the court cases and PR disasters of his life”. Some however expressed disappointment in the way the programme had been edited, believing that more time should have been taken to create a more “meaningful and moving tribute”. There was also some criticism from viewers over the channel’s decision to broadcast the programme twice in two days.
With regards to the coverage of Jackson’s death on Channel 4 News, a number of viewers contacted us to complain about the amount of airtime given to the story. There was some sense that Jackson’s death, albeit huge entertainment news, should not have been given top billing over other stories. As one viewer put it, “mention Michael Jackson’s death by all means, but the lead story? Is there no crisis in Iran or Zimbabwe?”
Elsewhere, a handful of viewers contacted the channel to suggest that news of Jackson’s death was significant enough to have been passed on to this year’s Big Brother housemates, allowing them to “grieve along with the rest of the world”.
What do you think? Do you think that Channel 4 handled the death of Michael Jackson in the right way? Was too much time handed over to the news coverage, or was the balance of programming correct? Was it right for the channel to broadcast a tribute programme twice over the weekend, or do you feel it was an unnecessary addition to the schedule?
We’ll be debating all of this and more on The TV Show this Saturday 4 July at 5pm. If you’d like to share your views, please leave your comments below.
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“a handful of viewers contacted the channel to suggest that news of Jackson’s death was significant enough to have been passed on to this year’s Big Brother housemates, allowing them to “grieve along with the rest of the world”.”
Please. tell me that’s a joke?
The Friday night bulletin did seem a bit hagiographic, particularly as it was only a 30 minute programme (I don’t know why we don’t get an hour on Fridays). However, the only other major story that evening was Iran. Given that little had happened to move the Iran story forward and the restrictions on reporting, there was little else for C4 News to report. Whatever one thinks about Michael Jackson, he had an enormous influence on popular culture and the story had to reported. The Friday night bulletin was therefore forgivable.
I was, however, surprised to see Jon Snow interviewing the Rev Jesse Jackson on Michael Jackson on Monday’s programme and that we got more on the story on Tuesday. Perhaps part of the problem is that having sent Sarah Smith to LA to cover matters, C4 News felt it needed to run stories to make use of her being there.
It would seem from Twitter comments and even Sarah Smith’s own blog, that the presenters on C4 News got tired of the story and felt they had done more than enough.
Given that he was a very high profile figure, I can understand his death being the lead story and there being a special tribute program.
But C4 didn’t leave it at that, and the continued editorial judgements to continue to give it such high prominence were wrong I think.
I’m not a fan of Michael Jackson, but I appreciate that he had become a global megastar and was loved and admired by many. Channel4’s coverage overall (not just C4 news, all of C4’s output) was reasonable under those circumstances.
With the death of Michael Jackson being a sudden one, his fans were desperate for answers on his death and peope will not be happy until they know the truth of what went on. I am happy at the amount of coverage channel 4 offered, Michael Jackson needed to be celebrated.
I felt that Channel 4 could have made a better contribution to the tribute for Michael Jackson. I am more upset by the way programmes like “TNT” and “8 out of 10 cats” have made a mockery of another human beings death. Whether the programme makers are fans or not it is disrespectful to speak so unfairly of someone especially after their passing. Channel 4 seriously needs to grow up and stop behaving like a bunch of juveniles, no wonder we have a teenage problem when you lot are setting these examples. Afterall young people copy what they see especially on TV. I wonder if Channel 4 deliberately creates controversy in order to make more depressing documentarys. How about contributing something good or positive to society…… or is that just not cool enough?
it may have been a bit over the top (especially since _all_ TV channels focussed on the story) but you deserve credit for the ukulele version of ‘Billie Jean’ on More4 — very nice.
Suggest C4 have a permanent footer on their screen explaining that, as stated by Dominique someone today, channel 4 don’t cater for viewers over 24. I’m delighted I saw that so that I know to avoid C4 in future, and explain to my friends why they need to do likewise. Whoops – Jacko was 50. Why did you spend soooo much time on someone twice the age of the oldest viewer you want?
Im sich of hearing about him!!! Sick of reading about him! sick of talking about him!! And now people are talking about talking about him!!!!!
Last night on Allan Carr show, 8 out of 10 cats, presenter and guest were all disrespectful of having a joke about Michael Jacksons death and funeral. I can’t believed these people are earning money by degrading peoples life especially on a very sad time for the persons concern. Its really kind of our culture that links to selfishness and ignorants attitude that portrays to the young generation as what Jarvis cocker did. how disgraceful.
Why is this country so sick that one is not allowed to honor any person, without the police present to cause a problem, is this nazi germany 2009. I am ashamed to be a American. This country needs a real make over, it sucks in many, many ways. what ever, rock on.
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