I’m wondering if there’s much good news for newspapers in the kerfuffle over some of them getting out ahead of the release of the latest Harry Potter book, with pre-publication reviews and stories about the availability of the book from online sources.
It’s not that they peeved Rowling et al by refusing to buy into the marketing campaign. (You could argue, in fact, that newspapers and other media have bought into the campaign in a big way, even while they were breaking the embargo.)
What has me wondering is what the legions of (primarily) young fans of the series of books and movies are thinking about what’s happened. Are they impressed that a vigorous, free press has acted with fear or favour? Or are they, like Rowling, pissed that someone has tried to spoil their fun?
To be slightly cynical,it’s easier to be pissed than it is to be proactive. But regardless of what we’d like to have happen, the indignant remain and they have, apparently, a target.
Or, did their parents tell them, “Kids, if you don’t want to know what happens in the book, don’t pick up/click on/listen to the features section of the newspaper/site/show. I don’t know what it’s like where you are Mark, but where I live the local dailies are filled with indignant parents — yet none see themselves as taking a proactive role in informing their kids.