A piece of news about Marieke Elsinga’s cat causes quite a bit of annoyance. According to Story editor-in-chief Guido den Aantrekker, the ‘debilization of the entertainment media’ is a fact.
Celebrities like Marieke Elsinga know that every poop and fart they leave is immediately picked up by the show media and they cleverly capitalize on that. After all, every headline is a confirmation of their relevance and media like her employer Qmusic naturally prefer to work with relevant stars. However, this mechanism also causes annoyance.
Stuffy cat
Marieke has posted a message on her Instagram page that her cat Kiki has been admitted to the emergency department of the cat hospital with ‘acute shortness of breath’. “When the doctor called this morning and said that Kiki was alternately sweet and fierce, I knew: my girl is back. I was terrified.”
Whoops, Marieke immediately has twenty headlines again. ‘Kat Kiki from Marieke Elsinga admitted with acute shortness of breath’, headlines RTL Boulevard. ‘Marieke Elsinga is having a rough night: ‘I came home crying’, according to the LINDA. And Shownieuws: ‘Horror night for Marieke Elsinga after news about cat Kiki.’
Total debilization
Guido den Aantrekker, editor-in-chief of the Story, can no longer stand it. “The total debilization in the entertainment media – and we are participating in it with all media,” he tweeted in response to the RTL Boulevard article.
He continues: “Perhaps it is a good time to think a little longer about what to do with being held hostage by this nonsensical clickbait ‘journalism’. And strength, cat Kiki. 🍀”
Hypocritical?
Remarkably enough, the Story itself also made an article about the admission of Marieke’s cat. It is therefore a hypocritical comment from Guido, responds one Sytse. “It is humor at its best that the editor-in-chief of Story, of all places, is accusing the debilization of the entertainment media.”
And theater journalist Hein Janssen: “Oh well, the editor-in-chief of Story is concerned about the deterioration of journalism.”
Escapism
Why did the news about Marieke’s cat reach the media? The answer is easy to guess: there is an audience that wants to read this. Following the life of celebrities is for some people a form of escapism, to take your mind off your own daily worries.
Anyway, Marieke’s cat now seems to have fully recovered. She is, as Marieke knows her, so again ‘alternating sweet and fierce’. Or, as Gordon calls it: diabetic.
Critical tweet
Guido’s critical tweet: