OK! magazine slated as public calls for Michael Jackson cover to be pulled

by Jacquie Bowser, Brand Republic 01-Jul-09, 09:10

LONDON - OK! magazine's decision to lead its Michael Jackson tribute issue with an image of the star as he lay dying has sparked outrage among members of the public, who have launched a petition to stop the title selling any further copies.

The petition argues that the celebrity gossip title has violated Jackson's right to privacy and urges people to sign up to stop the image from being sold.

It says: "This is, aside from being a low blow to a musical icon and pathetic attempt to revive their failing business, a violation of the basic rights of human beings.

"The editors and owner of OK! magazine are violating not only Michael Jackson's privacy, but the dignity of his family, friends, and fans.

"Please sign this petition if you believe that it is a basic human right to protect the privacy and dignity of your loved ones when they cannot protect themselves."

The petition currently has 167 signatures.

OK! magazine reportedly paid $500,000 (£300,000) for the rights to the Michael Jackson photo in the US and the UK.

Sarah Ivens, editorial director at OK!, told MediaWeek.com that she thought the dying Jackson photo would differentiate OK! from the other magazines running tribute issues this week.

The majority of readers posting comments on Brand Republic were united in their disgust at OK!'s decision to use the image on its cover page, calling it "sick" and in "bad taste".

One reader said: "It's about time that people stopped buying OK! and advertisers dropped it from their schedules. A tribute? Give me a break. It's sick."

Another poster says: "Agreed very bad taste, I remember the uproar when the paps tried to sell pictures of Diana dying to the red tops, I fail to see how this is any different.

"Given that this story is less than a week old this is also very insensitive to the family."

A reader by the initials JN wrote: "Michael Jackson fan or not, this is a complete violation of the basic human right of privacy."

However, OK! magazine is not the only media company to have used the image. The same photo is available on 'Entertainment Tonight's' website ETonline.com and some UK tabloids also ran the photo of a dying Jackson on their front page.

Comments

Jennie Flower - 01/07/2009

Under the guise of disgust and outrage at OK! the rest of the media \(including you Brand Republic \(see yesterday's article)) are using this image. This enables everyone to take the moral high ground whilst saving themselves $500,000!

FP - 01/07/2009

Ironically, there is a link to subscribe to OK! directly under this article. Nice one, BR.

Anne Warrington - 01/07/2009

Note to Ms Ivens - I agree, you have taken OK to a different level from the other mags - you can't get a lower l than base !!!!!!!!!!!!! Hope you and yours are afforded some dignity in death - or don't you give a toss about that either ?

Barney Hooper - 01/07/2009

I was on a fishing trip recently with my brothers Reggie, Ronnie, Gandalf, Skip and Matt Hooper and we caught a 16 ounce Tuna. The weather wasn't too bad considering it was late in the evening. Did we get on the cover of Ok magazine? Did we buggery!

Stefan Kaniuk - 01/07/2009

An interesting marketing ploy clearly designed to boost sales, however,rather distatestful and disrespectful nevertheless.

Kate Ritchie - 01/07/2009

167 people? a public outrage.

Paul Bowhay - 01/07/2009

I would like to say I am shocked by the magazines decision to use such a horrific picture of MJ but with titles such as OK, they are all about sales and have no respect for the family and no decency. How they can call this a tribute is disgusting!

john lush - 01/07/2009

Why the surprise ? Lest we forget we are talking about Richard Desmond and OK magaizne after all. I don't agree with it in anyway shape or form, but this is how the world is going. How many compaints have the TV companies had for showing the image ? None I suspect, If the general public were that outraged, they wouldn't buy the magazine, and yet they are !

Nicola Lucas - 01/07/2009

@ kate ritchie - the athiest bus campaign only got about 2 complaints and that managed to be an 'outrage'

spring - 01/07/2009

Bad publicity is free publicity, they are counting on public outrage and the posibilty of being sued as a means for more pubilcity hence more profitabilty. Nice strategy guys very clever

T H - 02/07/2009

That cover is abominable and a disgrace. How would you feel if your loved one's lifeless body was plastered over a magazine cover around the world? Not very happy, i bet. It is disrespectful to his family, especially his children and mother.