“Renee’s Shocking Plastic Surgery.” “Kim’s Nightmare: Divorce Battle Over Baby North.” These headlines, among many others, are the biggest stories in magazines at grocery store checkout lines. Even our newspapers–which are supposed to inform us about things that are going on–are focused on events that have very little significance. These low-importance topics feature anything from random events to reputation-ruining stories.

As a student journalist, it’s not my goal to sell people out. I try not to include quotes from people that would make them–or someone else–look bad, unless it’s relevant to the story. The purpose of journalism is not to ruin people’s reputation. Journalists exist to inform and educate–at least, that was the purpose when journalism first started up in America.

Now, however, journalism seems more like a mode of entertainment. The biggest headlines generally feature breakups, babies, and scandals relating to popular celebrities. These headlines prove that celebrities, too, have issues. They provide distraction from our own problems.

But are they important? In the grand scheme of things, does the divorce of a favorite celebrity couple really impact us in any way? No; so why, then, does the average American know more about who Kim Kardashian is currently married to than they do about everything going on in the Middle East–or even our own government? Because that’s what the media makes out to be important.

Before Internet, before cell phones, before television even, newspapers were the prime source of information. And that information usually included events that the general public should know about or happenings on a broader scale that could affect them. Now that journalism has taken a different form, and information is so much more accessible,  people are fed different bits of information, and now that’s what we expect and want.

Citizens, especially young adults and teenagers, have acquired a great deal of ignorance and general disinterest when it comes to events that could affect their future. This is partly due to what journalists choose to report on.

Sure, it’s interesting to see what famous people are up to this week. But I think that journalists–students and professionals–should start reporting things that make a difference to others, instead of selling secrets and exploiting celebrities.

 Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2014-2015 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.