Media has become a killer?

Actually, this is a tragic story. But now it has become a piece of entertainment news spreaded among China, served as an tool for media to attract more audiences and a ridiculous matter for people to talk about, though death and harm has been caused. Until now, the media still enjoy following the development of this matter, never realizing they have become a killer, in some distance.

This story began from13 years ago. One day, a 16 year-old girl met the famous Hongkong movie star Andy Lau in her dream, then she could not help being stuck on him and swore to met him in real life. In order to meet her dream, she stopped her study and stayed at home, only watching Andy Lau’s music video and listening his songs all day long. However, her crazy decision gained strong support from her parents, who spoiled their only child so much. Though his father Mr Yang is only a teacher in a middle school, earning little money from his job. He borrowed the usury and even sold his house to support his daughter’s trip to Hongkong to meet Andy Lao. Originally, this is only a story about a parent over-spoiling their daughter and choosing an unreasonable way. But since the media involved and broadcasted this matter, it became a tragedy step by step。

In March 2006, Lanzhou Morning Newspaper firstly discovered and published Yang’s story. Then CCTV and other media all began to broadcast Yang’s experiences. In order to convince Mr Yang to cooperate with them in the interview, the journalists even promised him that, they would construct the consensus pressure to force Anty Lau to meet Yang. Because the encouragement and the promise of the media, Yang’s family was recharged of hope and strength. They naively believe that, the media will help them to meet their dream.

Less then half a week, all the Chinese know that there is a crazy fan called Yang Lijuan. However, Audy Lau seemed immune of such media consensus. He declared that, he would not meet Yang because he thought her behavior is improper. Andy Lau’s response made Yang’s family fall into disappointment. Later, some media found that this news has no more value in use then giving up pursing it. However, Yang’s father insisted that, their passion would move Andy Lau one day and he still remembered what the journalists said--- the consensus would make Andy Lau compromised.

In March 2007, Yang’s family borrowed the usury and began the trip to Hongkong again, holding the dream that they may meet Andy Lau in his birthday party held by fans’ party. This time, Andy Lau did have met Yang and took a picture with her. But Yang was not satisfied. She required Andy Lau to give her at lease half an hour to explain that she is not like what people said—crazy, spoiled and unreasonable. However, Audy Lau refused Yang’s request again and drove away. Yang’s father tried to stop the car, but failed. .

One day later, Yang’s father jumped into the sea, only leaving a letter, in which he scolded Andy Lau for being cold-blooded and impolite to them, requiring Audy Lau should meet his daughter in order to meet his last dream. Yang’s death caused the media’s attention again. This time, they not only printed Yang’s story in the first page, but also assigned the journalists to be with Yang’s family all day long, reporting what they did, what they thought. The media even provided money and place for Yang and her mother to stay in Hongkong, continuing the dream of meeting Andy Lau.

Yang suddenly became a star, surrounded with all the journalists from everywhere, though she has lost her father. She didn’t need to worry about the money, because there must be some media who will support her. She began to be used to deal with and utilize the media. And the media, they also enjoyed following Yang, to see how she will tangle with Andy Lau, how she will realize her dream. However, in most of the reports about Yang, media only mentioned her as a crazy fan, who has psychology problem. They interviewed Yang’s neighbors, teachers, to know more about Yang’s fanatical behavior. They ascribed this tragedy to Yang’s parents’ dotage. But no media is really target at helping Yang, waking her up. Most of the journalists wish she can conduct more crazy behavior, thus they have more news. They supported Yang to find Andy Lau, though they knew that it would only make Yang involve into a deeper pit.

Now, this tragedy seems have become a farce. Yang still repeats her dream in front of the media again and again. Media still reports how Yang are striving for meeting Andy Lao. Yang’s sadness for her father’s death seems to only last for a short time. Now she is more interested in staying in Hongkong, waiting for meeting her idol. But Andy Lau has decisively declared that, he won’t see Yang again.

In my point of view, the media has been a killer or an accomplice no matter in Yang’s father’s death or Yang’s fanatical behavior being conducted now. If media did not promise and mislead Yang’s father in the beginning that, the consensus can surely help Yang to meet her dream, if their reports did not focus on Yang’s fantastic story, but target on how to lure Yang and her parents to face the reality, to have a normal life, or to cure her psychology problem if she has, if after Yang’s father’s suicide, the media did not incite Yang to go on her dream, Yang’s father might not believe that more people pay attention to this matter, more possibly they can see Andy Lau, and he might not kill himself to lure more attention. Yang and her mother also won’t stay in Hongkong to pursue her so-call dream in life, forgetting that her father took his own life only for meeting her dream as well. But life has no take- two. Tragedy and harm has been arosed.

I don’t know when it is the end of the story. But when media scold that it is the society’s fault or enjoy receiving high attention to this matter, seldom of them will reflect on what they have done. From the beginning to now, the media are the real director and producer of this tragedy or even this farce. Yang is only a tool or a puppet of this tragedy. Yang’s father is also a victim of this matter. The winner is the media. Of course, the media itself won’t admit that. But if this goes on and on, if another tragedy will be caused? I don’t know and I dare not to think about.

http://www.danwei.org/internet/andy_lau_fans_father_kills_him.php
http://www.zonaeuropa.com/20070416_1.htm
http://en.epochtimes.com/news/7-4-18/54275.html