Why is Entertainment News So Popular?
For whatever reason, we just can’t seem to look away. Possibly it’s because entertainment news is the internet version of rubbernecking, made possible 24/7 and with ringside seats. Or it’s because the people that we really admire, in the worlds of entertainment, sports, and politics, are so much larger than life, living out their triumphs and tragedies on a perpetual stage. Sometimes their humanitarian and other achievements inspire us to do better, or to dream of making a difference.
Larger than life
Entertainment news gives you an inside look at the lives of celebrities. They may be rich and famous, but they have their own faults and foibles. Following their daily lives, relationships and family events helps to make them real people, only better.
Success inevitably draws attention. Big earners in the fields of sports and music like Floyd Mayweather and Jay Z, who combine skills with wealth, show young people a path they too might follow. Sometimes, celebrity stories can be a warning, reminding us that money and success come at a cost.
Role models
For younger people, celebrities act as role models. It’s not just their fabulous wealth and artistic or sporting achievements, but also their humanitarian and philanthropic contributions that inspire us to do better. Celebrities like Bono, Alicia Keys, 50 Cent and LeBron James work with charities around the world on issues like education, AIDS and poverty.
It’s primarily younger people who are influenced by celebrity support for causes. Around 27% of people in the age group 18 to 36 years are likely to support a cause championed by a celebrity. For the 68 plus age group, only 10% are swayed by celebrity participation in charitable causes.
Celebrity news is big business
As the saying goes, money makes the world go around. Endorsements from celebrities can dramatically affect sales. A study by the Harvard Business School in 2011 found that it could increase annual revenues by $10 million annually, as well as increasing stock returns by 0.25%.
Entertainment news and celebrity gossip is an industry in its own right, worth over $3 billion annually. Celeb gossip and details of fashion, relationships and other current news are eagerly consumed.
Culture shifts
Entertainment news has the potential to bring people together by highlighting the achievements of black celebrities like Denzel Washington, who has won two Oscars. He was the second black actor to win an academy award after Sidney Poitier in 1963.
Black celebs like Will Smith, Tyra Banks and Beyonce have a wide appeal and provide role models for young people across all demographics.
Entertainment news has a finger on the pulse of society at any given moment. Plus, it’s one of the guilty pleasures that just takes a few minutes each day to see how the rich, famous and talented are faring.
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