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TMZ

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TMZ.com is a celebrity gossip and news website, the result of a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures Productions, a division of Warner Bros. Both AOL and Warner Bros. are units of Time Warner.[1] TMZ's managing editor is Harvey Levin, and the site is powered by Blogsmith.

While positioning itself as an independent celebrity news site, the site is more widely regarded as a tabloid journal [2] though is unique for its major corporate backing. The site does not pay for stories or interviews, but it does pay for video clips and photos. Levin states that "Everything is researched and vetted for accuracy."[3]

'TMZ' stands for "Thirty Mile Zone," a term which originated in the 1960's. Due to the growth of 'on location' shoots, studios and various talent guilds established a "thirty mile zone", outside of which shooting is considered to be a location shoot, requiring per diems and other travel and living expenses to be paid. The zone remains centered in Los Angeles around the old offices of The Association of Motion Pictures and Television Producers at Beverly and La Cienega Boulevards in California. It was often said that "Everything entertainment happens in the 'Thirty Mile Zone.'" So essentially, the "Thirty Mile Zone" represents the center of Hollywood.[4]

TMZ garnered some notice for publishing a handwritten police report the night of Mel Gibson's DUI arrest in July 2006.[5] It also garnered attention for posting a video of Brandon Davis insulting Lindsay Lohan for the amusement of Paris Hilton, which was then picked up by major newspapers, and a copy of the alleged birth certificate of the daughter of Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, which was also picked up by Associated Press and USA Today.[3] TMZ also presented the cell-phone camera video footage of Michael Richards' racist outburst in a comedy club against a couple of African-American audience members who had heckled him. Their ability to obtain such material so quickly has seen them sometimes dubbed 'Cops Online', notably by Perez Hilton on his website.

Breaking stories by TMZ.com

TMZ.com has broken many stories to the public, including:

Contempt of court motion

On June 20, 2007 a court-appointed bankruptcy trustee filed an emergency motion[30] requesting that the web site be held in contempt for its publication of the entire manuscript of If I Did It, O.J. Simpson's purportedly fictionalized account of the murder of Ron Goldman and Nicole Brown Simpson. The filing claims that TMZ's posting of the PDF of the entire book has "diminished or destroyed" the value, which the Goldman family may eventually publish (and promote) as Simpson's confession to the murders.[31]

Criticism

Some have criticized tmz.com for its usage of photographs and videos from paparazzi media. With accidents such as that of Princess Diana, many have questioned the way in which the public has forgotten the effect the paparazzi have on the stars they cover including causing several car accidents and/or car chases to flee from the paparazzi. Some videos on the site are simply videos of stars being chased by the paparazzi, causing some to argue that this practice is dangerous and "creepy". [32] Critics argue that tmz.com adds a forum that pays healthy profit and continue to give paparazzi work. It is estimated that paparazzo who work for the site can make between $6,000 and $8,000 dollars per week. Some have also called for a boycott of the website and its accompanying show. [33]

According to Ken Sunshine, publicist for Ben Affleck and Leonardo DiCaprio, "I hate that they have anything to do with trying to put celebrities into the worst light possible and that they play the 'gotcha' game".[3]

Others have harshly criticized tmz.com's glamorization of figures such as Lindsay Lohan, Britney Spears, and Paris Hilton; celebrities who are known more as targets for paparazzi than their actual work. [34]

After TMZ posted the audio of his voice mail message to his 11-year-old daughter, Alec Baldwin said, “you find out that everybody who works in tabloid media are people who are filled with self-hatred and shame, and the way they manage those feelings is they destroy the lives of other people.” [35]

The Time Warner-owned TMZ has been criticized for paying for information, and Harvey Levin has acknowledged “paying for tips” only when TMZ's reporters can “independently verify” the story.[36]

TMZ was criticized for using stolen items pertaining to the upcoming Indiana Jones 4. On October 2, 2007, IESB reported that a number of production photos and sensitive documents pertaining to the production budget were stolen from Steven Spielberg’s production office.[37] According to IESB, TMZ obtained some of the stolen property and were on the verge of running the story on its TV division until Paramount lawyers stepped in. After IESB broke this story, TMZ TV did indeed broadcast details about the Indiana Jones production budget on the October 3, 2007 program.[38][39]

Others criticized TMZ for pandering to the lowest common denominator, or for the vacuous content of articles. Also, critics point out that the comments to blog posts are not moderated and that many instances of trolling and flame wars are a result. It has been suggested that the site be open only to registered users to minimize sockpuppet identities and trolling. It has also been suggested that moderators should remove hateful, disruptive, or defamatory comments.

TMZ on TV

TMZ.com launched a syndicated television show titled TMZ on TV on September 10, 2007. The show has similar gossip content to the website in addition to a view behind-the-scenes at TMZ.com offices. [40]

References

  1. ^ "Celebrity News Site Breaks Gibson Story". Retrieved August 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ harvey-levin-gets-woody-then-exposes
  3. ^ a b c Freydkin, Donna (August 1, 2006). "Handed a 'smoking gun', TMZ's Levin ran with it". USA Today. p. 3D. Retrieved 2007-09-24. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  4. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2006/05/30/i-just-gotta-know-britney-and-more/
  5. ^ "The scoop on the scoop". Retrieved August 2. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  6. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/07/03/nicole-richie-is-pregnant/
  7. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20056000,00.html
  8. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/09/11/full-house-star-pregnant-an-inside-look/
  9. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/09/21/its-a-girl-for-salma/
  10. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/10/05/j-lo-preggo/
  11. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20037538,00.html
  12. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/05/02/wedding-crashed-esposito-and-cooper-split/
  13. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/06/26/benoits-history-of-domestic-violence-exposed/
  14. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/07/10/apprentice-star-fires-extreme-hubby/
  15. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/07/03/johnny-knoxville-pulls-the-plug-on-marriage/
  16. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/05/07/ty-pennington-arrested-for-dui/
  17. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20038043,00.html
  18. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/05/07/paris-does-not-lack-appeal/
  19. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/10/10/michelle-rodriguez-will-be-lost-in-jail/
  20. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20058518,00.html
  21. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/09/25/kiefer-sutherland-popped-for-dui/
  22. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/06/26/benoit-murder-details-revealed/
  23. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/10/19/hunter-tylos-son-drowns/
  24. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20153313,00.html
  25. ^ "Alec Baldwin explains tirade". Retrieved April 21. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |accessdate= (help); Unknown parameter |accessyear= ignored (|access-date= suggested) (help)
  26. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/04/25/its-true-rosie-will-leave-view/
  27. ^ http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20037295,00.html
  28. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2007/04/30/ellen-says-i-will-take-this-lyin-down/
  29. ^ http://www.tmz.com/2008/01/17/lutfi-barges-in-on-naked-stinky-brit/
  30. ^ http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0620071oj3.html - Contempt of Court filing against TMZ regarding If I Did It
  31. ^ http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2007/0620071oj1.html - A Contemptuous Act?
  32. ^ http://cornellsun.com/node/24490 "I want my TMZ"
  33. ^ http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/entertainment/homepage/article_1549705.php "On Paparazzi patrol with TMZ.co"
  34. ^ http://cornellsun.com/node/24490 "I want my TMZ"
  35. ^ “Sultan of Sleaze” (4 of 4)
  36. ^ “Sultan of Sleaze” (3 of 4)
  37. ^ Indiana Jones and the Secret of the Stolen Set Photos!
  38. ^ When It Gets Interesting
  39. ^ Why Won’t They Tell The Indy IV Theft Story Accurately?
  40. ^ Barnhart, Aaron (July 25, 2007). "TMZ is so H-O-T, it will branch out to daily TV show". Kansas City Star.

40 [1]

  1. ^ The Bold & The Brave #8 (2007)
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