There’s news. Then there’s NEWS. Sometimes you can’t look away.
Some published stories are little more than a matter of record and quickly forgotten, if they’re noticed at all. Others have some semblance of substance but leave no lasting impression.
And sometimes, you get dragged deeper and deeper into a story. It’s intriguing. You devour every detail as it emerges — and are anxious for the next. You simply cannot look away.
Why? The reasons run the gamut, just as the stories do themselves.
Irony. Fundamental beliefs. Feuds among the rich and powerful. Pure entertainment.
The decision by Baylor University to fire its head football coach and strip Kenneth Starr of the college presidency for looking the other way amid repeated accusations and convictions of sexual assault by male athletes. (Starr is best known for his pursuit of then-U.S. President Bill Clinton for his sexual indiscretions.)
The prolonged legal battle between wrestler Hulk Hogan and online news/gossip site Gawker, pitting invasion of privacy against freedom of the press. (Hogan won big, but Gawker is appealing the $140 million judgment that could force it to shut its doors or sell.)
The convoluted struggles for money and power swirling around Sumner Redstone, his former mistress, his long-estranged-recently-reconciled daughter, and his longtime corporate confidantes for control of CBS and Viacom. (It’s hard enough to keep straight who’s on which side and who deserves the most sympathy, let alone to figure out who’s winning.)
The presumed death of the beloved character Hodor in Game of Thrones. (Another cult show, The Walking Dead, lets viewers believe its popular character Glenn was eaten by zombies, only to have him miraculously survive.)
Baylor, Hogan/Gawker, and Redstone share a common thread: Each side is battling to control the storyline and hence the story. Whoever succeeds, wins the battle of public perception.
What about all the speculation over Hodor? That’s just fun.
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You can reach Roger Gillott and Eden Gillott directly at 310-396-8696.
Gillott Communications is a Los Angeles-based public relations firm that specializes in high-stakes Crisis & Reputation Management with more than 50 years of expertise in strategic communications, corporate public relations, and working with the media.
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