an American media defends itself clumsily

This Thursday, October 16, we learned of the death of former member of One Direction, Liam Payne. The 31-year-old singer died after falling from the third floor of his hotel in Argentina. For the moment, the circumstances of the accident remain unclear. The latest information indicates that the artist behaved in a rather violent manner on the evening of the tragedy. According to CNN, police received a call from the hotel where he was staying, a few minutes before the incident, to report an “aggressive man who may be under the influence.” Several substances were seized from his hotel room, as the Buenos Aires prosecutor’s office told Sky News. Preliminary autopsy reveals Liam Payne suffered “internal and external bleeding” following a fatal fall.

‘We are heartbroken’: Liam Payne’s family breaks silence after death of former ‘One Direction’ member

Since Thursday, the media around the world have been in turmoil over this affair. Some more than others. Thus, the famous American celebrity site TMZ played the trash card by broadcasting photos of the singer’s body, without revealing his face. Following the numerous reactions and criticisms that these abominable photos provoked, the editors of the site preferred to delete their publication. However, they insisted on defending themselves…

“I’m devastated”, “I lost a brother”: Zayn Malik, Harry Styles… One Direction comes out of silence after the death of Liam Payne

Interviewed by the American channel FOX 5, the executive producer of TMZ, Michael Babcock, explains: “There is a balance to be had. And it’s a conversation happening in newsrooms around the world. We wanted to be sensitive to families and friends. While working on the news. » Michael Babcock then specifies that the photos only revealed “his arm and his stomach, where there are very recognizable tattoos. » A way to “confirm one’s identity. » The man concluded, not without a touch of hypocrisy: “This boy still had so much to live for. We feel terrible for everyone. »