Do We Really Need a Wartime Heartthrob?

War is great for the media. The world needs something to talk about and when there is global fighting that only a portion of the population can witness, journalists flock to it like flies on shit. 

With the recent outbreak of the Ukrainian and Russian war, the United States has made sure to keep constant updates circulating regarding the status of the fighting and the negotiations being made. As thousands of articles and newscasts have been spread, another topic, or person rather, has emerged in the forefront of journalistic lenses: Volodymyr Zelensky. 

Zelensky is the current Ukrainian president and is being coined as a "hero-heartthrob" by outlets across the world. Journalists are now choosing to focus on who he is a person and the social aspect of the war rather than the severity of the situation within the European country. 

Headlines read "Who is Zelensky as a person?" and "Zelensky and Trump: Two Performers, One Hero." While it is no shock that the media will dig into the life of any person shoved into the spotlight, the question now being posed is rather if now is the time for this type of coverage. 

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/05/opinion/zelensky-ukraine-trump.html 

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/volodymyr-zelenskys-improbable-rise-from-comedian-to-wartime-leader-of-a-defiant-nation

    

Many American journalists are receiving backlash for their pieces surrounding the personal life of the Ukrainian president. Topics like his relationship with his wife, his online presence, and his platform in comparison to U.S. leaders have all been addressed. Some audiences are angered by this and are advocating for less entertainment style writing and more information about the progress of the fighting. 

For some readers, the news is the only way they can be updated about their family and friends still stuck amidst the fighting. Without consistent updates and coverage, they are left with wondering and with unanswered questions. For them, articles about Zelensky's past career in comedy are insulting to the destruction their loved ones are having to currently endure.

As we enter further into this debacle, we can see the clear shift in reporting that has occurred within the last several decades. This leaves only one question to be asked: Are our priorities as journalists in the right place?