It may have been awhile since you have had the time to watch celebrity news. As the last few days of the school year wind down and the summer begins, however, you may find time to watch a few minutes. And while celebrity news shows may have seemed in the past to be little more than gossip sites, the reality is that many of the entertainment news shows also focus on current event topics. From covering the sensitivity training that was conducted for employees at a major coffee chain to highlighting the changes that are being made in other communities as there is attention paid to other human rights issues, celebrity news is not always all fun and games.
Current celebrity news, in fact, increasingly covers not only the clothing that people who walk down the red carpet, there are also many other stories that are covered. Highlighting the donation of time and money that many of Hollywood and the sports world’s top earners give, there are many feel good stories that offer a type of coverage that every one needs during this time in our world.
You may not be surprised to know that the combined revenue for the celebrity gossip industry tops more than $3 billion every year. The intent of this media coverage still focuses on entertainment for the most part, but there are a growing number of shows that are also highlighting fairly news worthy topics. From the latest Presidential election to the problematic racial tensions that continue to make the news, there are several entertainment shows that are covering these topics. Perhaps led by some of one of the biggest celebrities ever, Oprah Winfrey may be one of the people who are driving the change in coverage.
With its placement on 120 channels and an audience of 10 million people, the Oprah Winfrey Show aired for 25 seasons, from 1986 to 2011. During this time the show grossed $125 million by the end of its first year, of which Winfrey received $30 million. In addition to bringing attention to topics, the use of a celebrity name can also bring attention to products. For example, a 2011 study by Harvard Business School indicated that signing a big-name endorser increases company sales by $10 million a year and spurs a 0.25% increase in stock returns.
