This past Friday, Tiger Woods joined the ranks of the many politicians and celebrities who have had to face the media with an official recognition of and apology for their personal transgressions. In his long−awaited press conference, Woods addressed his automobile accident on Thanksgiving night of 2009 and the reports of his infidelity that later emerged. While he expressed his deep apologies to his family, fans and those involved in his foundation, he also admonished the media for its intrusion into his private life and the lives of his family members.
Though this tenuous balance between the media and the people whose lives have become front page news is not a new conflict, Woods' case raises questions about the responsibilities of both parties.
As a celebrity, Woods has made a concerted effort to keep his personal life hidden from the media spotlight that has accompanied his remarkable career. This aversion to the public eye was never more evident than in the nearly three months that passed after the Thanksgiving incident before Woods' public statement. During that time, rumors circulated throughout the media concerning the state of Woods' marriage and the future of his career — rumors that were, no doubt, exacerbated by Woods' persistent silence. In waiting so long to address the incident publicly, Woods not only exposed himself but also his family to further media intrusion, as reporters and bloggers searched for the answers that he refused, until recently, to give. In essence, Woods defaulted on his responsibility to his followers and the media in general by refusing to come out publicly concerning his infidelities and the accident on Thanksgiving.
A more appropriate course of action would have involved Woods making a public statement as soon as possible, addressing the seemingly burning questions that the media felt needed to be answered and thereby removing himself from the rumor mill and allowing him to focus on rebuilding his private life rather than keeping it hidden from view. This would also have allowed him to immediately answer the worries of his fans and the golf community — people to whom he owed an explanation.
This is not to say, however, that the Daily in any way supports intrusive actions of the media into the lives of celebrities going through personal turmoil. Following Woods' two−year−old daughter to school and photographing her is in no way a mark of professional journalism of any sort. However, though it may be regrettable that it is now impossible to keep a public figure's private life out of the national spotlight, Woods should have recognized that the nature of the current media environment, considering the power of the Internet and the 24−hour news cycle, makes this inevitable. Therefore, public figures must learn to build positive relationships between themselves and the media, even if it is difficult at times.
As someone knowledgeable about the expectations of the media, especially where sensitive situations such as marriage and infidelity are concerned, Woods played his cards poorly and, in not addressing the issue, sparked the media to inappropriately and unfairly invade his life and the lives of those closest to him.
