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Technology takes consumers centrestage as arbiters of celebrity: report
CANNES: Consumers will increase their power as the direct arbiters of the mantle of celebrity, thanks to the explosive growth and use of new entertainment technologies that exploit celebrity, according to this year’s International Association of Entertainment Lawyers Journal, to be released at MIDEM 2005 in Cannes.
The 2005 Journal, themed “Celebrity” includes insights from 25 entertainment and media attorneys from around the globe. The journal is edited by Jay Cooper, chair of law firm Greenberg Traurig’s entertainment practice in Los Angeles.
“Today’s celebrity culture is relentless, with enormous resources being poured by mass media to tap into the public’s insatiable appetite for this information,” says Cooper. “Along with the 24/7 entertainment television shows and a blizzard of magazines and tabloids, there are also Internet sites and `blogs’ devoted to individuals, motion pictures, television shows and gossip.”
The result will be an increase in legal privacy protections for public figures driven in part by consumers’ growing power in controlling celebrity versus the right of the public to know, according to the 2005 Journal. The fact the courts are using right-of-privacy justifications to shield celebrity from the public eye is indicative of today’s unforgiving culture of fame and the direction laws may take in the future with respect to privacy protection, adds Cooper.
IAEL was officially founded in 1977 at MIDEM, Cannes. Three years prior to IAEL’s charter, the founding members had begun holding informal seminars and discussion groups for MIDEM participants interested in the legal aspects of the entertainment industry.
“A celebrity is not just a movie star today,” notes Burry, a Greenberg Traurig shareholder, in the first chapter. “It’s any individual of public notoriety whose personality, personal story and private facts have captured the public’s imagination and then becomes public property,” he reports.
In another chapter, Jonathan Coad, a partner at London-based The Simkins Partnership, and Greg Nylen, a shareholder at Greenberg Traurig, explore the difficulty of simultaneously using laws to combat unfair defamation and at the same time respecting and working with the media in managing a celebrity brand.
“Although the United Kingdom is not as claimant-friendly as it once was, it remains a much more neutral playing field between the celebrity and the press than the United States,” says Coad. “If you have an international reputation or privacy problem, the best strategy is to tackle it in the UK, then through astute public relations transmit the remedy out to the US and (continental) Europe once it has been achieved.”
A third chapter looks at how new technologies have altered the landscape and the legal frameworks within which celebrities seek protection. According to the chapter authors, Mark Bateman and Paul Chamberlain, prior to the technology boom, the public received celebrity news from the cinema and mainstream newspapers and publications. Now, celebrities have their personal lives hyper-examined by a host of specialized magazines, websites and digital television stations. The ever-growing appetite for celebrity content means that a celebrity’s image is an extremely valuable asset worthy of adamant protection.
“Technology plays its part in keeping a public increasingly addicted to celebrity tales supplied with its regular fix,” says Bateman and Chamberlain.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
