Right to Privacy--really?I hate to break it to you all but when you take a public job--especially a public job where people are watching you, listening to you; if, for example, you're a radio personality and prominent member of a morning news team, you then lose, sort of, your right to privacy. It's not the gospel but in practical terms, it's the truth.
I'm not going to mention the name of the individual a lot of you took me to task for mentioning out of "privacy"-concerns. Some of you--the same people who were wondering what the status was of this particular person because she's been off the air then came back only to disappear again.
High-profile media people, whether we like it or not, become a part of our lives--that is, assuming we watch and listen to them. They tend to be more on TV and less on radio but because we embed them into our daily ritual, like, for example, waking up in the morning to watch Matt Lauer or listen to Stan Bunger broadcast the news...they are, in essence, part of our life. We notice their looks; why their voice sounds cranky; we wonder out loud if they've been gone. If there's no big deal, which is usually the case it'll be announced that they're "under the weather" or "on assignment".
But when they suddenly leave and there's no rhyme or reason and we're left to wonder what's going on, then we all collectively want to know. So then by extension the right to privacy goes out the door whether we like it or not--really, whether they like it or not and that's the reality of having a high-profile job but it comes with the territory. They know it when they take the job.
The situation here was pretty much accelerated by readers who repeatedly asked me about the status of the morning radio announcer. I had no intention of even asking around but I didn't anticipate all the e-mails inquiring if "she was OK.", as if her absence was necessarily medical-related, but nevertheless people were concerned and wanted to know. She apparently has a following.
I don't know her status. And the radio station isn't talking and her colleagues merely say she's away and yes, it's a personal matter but since she's very prominently in the public arena some people are concerned. Which is perfectly normal. She's not a clerk at Macys--she's got a radio gig in SF.
The right to privacy sounds good on paper and it's one of our basic rights but truly this is a different world. Even to those who choose to take a public path of putting food on the table. If you doubt that, you're either in denial or delusional. Reality check.
Gossip? No, not really. And if interpreted that way, we're sorry because we weren't going to go that way even if we were privy to what was going on and we haven't any ideas other than to say we hope this cleared the matter up.
And as for the right to privacy, again, No , not in this world, the real world.
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