The results of the experiment, naturally, will be fodder for a future A.P. story. “Hopefully we will be able to discuss what ‘news’ we missed,” read the memo, which could have used some stern copy-editing, “the repercussions of our blackout for AP both editorially and business-wise, and most importantly the force that cause the world to be fixated on this person who, despite her shallow frivolity, represents an epochal development in our culture.”Reached for comment, Mr. Washington said, “There was a surprising amount of hand-wringing. A lot of people in the newsroom were saying this was tampering with the news.” One editor’s response was apparently: “This is a great idea—can we add North Korea?”
Media loves to talk about media. While this has a function, it also serves to bury the real point: What they are doing is not actually looking at why Paris Hilton is a non story, why they are obsessed with a non story, but rather what they are doing is saying “we aren’t going to report on this non story for awhile and then report about what happens”. It doesn’t take a genius to know that NOTHING will happen. Well, okay, some PR people are going to get upset and make some pissed off phone calls. How news worthy is that? I guess we are going to find out.
