Site Meter Media Criticism » Blog Archive » Crazy for Magic!

Crazy for Magic!

by Joel Pratt

diagonalwand.gifYes, this is a post about Harry Potter. No, there are no spoilers in it.

The media craze surrounding this book is truly remarkable. I rarely stand in large lines for books. Movies? Sometimes. Concerts? Absolutely. An iPhone? Never. But a book?

Due to the immense popularity of the Harry Potter series in the last few years, the publicity and media have latched onto the fame of the young wizard. There are Harry Potter movies, glasses, toys, temporary tattoos, wands, and even philosophy books (no I’m not kidding). He’s a popular guy. ABC News last week even did a report from the city in which the books were supposedly being printed. It’s amazing that such an insignificant story could make the cut with everything that happened in our country last week; Harry Potter keeps people tuned into the news.

Overall, however, I enjoy seeing Harry Potter information in the news (as long as the New York Times isn’t ruining anything). To have the biggest celebrity craze of the weekend be over a book and not, say, Paris Hilton is a good thing. Harry Potter gets kids reading; there are precious few instances where young children ask their parents to go to the bookstore or library. So many valuable things come from this. Kids are excited to read; parents are excited to read to (and spend time with) their children; nerds get to hang out in bookstores until all hours of the night.

If we have to resign ourselves to the fact that celebrity news is always going to sell, we might as well be grateful that this celebrity actually has something to offer.

, , , , ,


Posted in Media, celebrity, deathly hallows, harry potter, spoilers, wizards on July 22nd, 2007

Link to this Entry

Recent Posts

Related Posts

Leave a Reply


About Media Criticism

Media Criticism takes a critical look at the media's coverage of news, politics, celebrities, and current events. It is not intended as a replacement for traditional media; rather, it is an analytical lens through which mainstream journalism can be viewed.

Media Criticism Author(s)
    » Nicholas-Katers

NAVIGATE

LINKS

CATEGORIES

TOP COMMENTERS

RECENT COMMENTS

SUBSCRIBE

ARCHIVES

Politics & News Channel Posts

  • "Uncle Tom"?
    Ralph Nader Calls Obama "Uncle Tom"? Video And Transcript http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article21169.htm Fox News distorts Nader's comments to paint him as a racist Posted [...]
  • Market Mayhem
    Read on Progressive Talk: Markets on Fire By Mumia Abu-Jamal As stocks fall around the U.S., in Europe and in Asia, the dreaded "R" word and the "D" word can now be said aloud. Recession. [...]
  • Center-Right Socialism
    THE PROGRESSIVE POPULIST: A JOURNAL FROM THE HEARTLAND December 1, 2008 -- Volume 14, Number 21 http://www.populist.com EDITORIAL Center-Right Socialism Who was not moved by the sight of [...]
  • On Intelligent Design and the Left
    Cats, Dogs and Creationism By JEAN BRICMONT “The criticism of religion is the prerequisite of all criticism.” --Karl Marx (Introduction to A Contribution to the Critique of Hegel’s [...]
  • Rural-Urban Divide and Election '08
    The following article was published earlier this year on the website of the History News Network. A Historian Reflects on the Rural-Urban Divide and Election '08 By Daniel Herman March, [...]
  • Wind Turbine Artists Needed
    Drive east along Highway 50 toward South Lake Tahoe, California and you'll spot some unusual looking pine trees among the tall timbers of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In fact these aren't trees at [...]
  • Worse than 9/11?
    Posted in Progressive Talk: London-based Arabic language newspaper Al-Quds Al-Arabi is reporting indications from a Yemeni with "very close" al-Qaeda ties that Osama bin Laden is plotting an [...]
  • Sold: Neverland Ranch
    Michael Jackson, recording artist and entertainer, has reportedly sold his child-like fantasy home The Neverland Ranch in Santa Barbara, California (120 Miles Northwest of Los Angeles) for $35 [...]
  • Obama's Impending Tax Increases
    From the right: It's happened. If you're like me, the worst case scenario is being played out in your mind. It's over. With Barack Obama as President, your finances are in bigger trouble [...]
  • Colorado Marijuana Reform Seminar and Activist Boot Camp
    On November 15, SAFER is co-hosting the Colorado Marijuana Reform Seminar and Activist Boot Camp at Regis University in Denver. The first-of-its-kind event is designed to immediately bolster [...]

 

Hot Off The Press

  • Next Up: NCAA Championships
    No. 24 Arkansas Razorback men's cross country will run at the NCAA Championships, Mon., Nov. 24. [...]
  • So, let's talk about the runner-up
    Listen, I don't know what those folks over there at People were thinking but it certainly wasn't anywhere along the same lines as me.  I mean, Daniel Craig is a Bond man and he has those [...]
  • Silver Giveaway
    Christmas has always been perceived as the season for giving and receiving. ‘Guess it’s no wonder why this is the time of the year when people all around the world is in unison when it [...]
  • Vogue scans, and the New York Times
    The December issue of Vogue has hit stands and with that, I have the scans! Jen looks gorgeous in the photos and comes off beautifully in the interview. Thumbnails are [...]
  • Albuquerque NM Film office
    [caption id="attachment_796" align="alignnone" width="480" caption="Hey, just about anyone can work films in NM...."][/caption] Well not anybody, however the State of NM really keeps offering [...]

  • [caption id="attachment_1225" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="Santa Fe Dreaming..."][/caption] Ok this is a funky site that you must go visit,please, if you want to catch the wave (in a [...]
  • people never change
    There is an Introductory Address in the third edition of Domestic Cookery, Useful Receipts, And Hints to Young Housekeepers. by Elizabeth E. Lea. She also claims that "The Source of Liberal [...]
  • Albuquerque dances all night long? T or F?
    [caption id="attachment_47" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="OK OK, I'll go and listen to some music!"][/caption] Almost all night long. Here's some other event news from ABQarts.org [...]
  • Know Your Noxious Weeds and Invasive Species: Giant Hogweed
    It is true that I am a nerd that enjoys the study of nature and all of its creatures, and part and parcel of living in Portland, Oregon is enjoying nature. So today, I will bring you the fruit of my [...]
  • More Good Ratings
    [caption id="attachment_619" align="aligncenter" width="500" caption="Photo from DaemonsTV.com"][/caption] Criminal Minds was the #2 show in Canada this week, according to the Canadian Press. [...]