Stop Glorifying the Unremarkable: Refocus News on Substance

It is time Maldivian news media reconsiders its obsession with covering film stars and influencers whose fame and earnings are modest at best. The coverage of Aishath Rishmee’s marriage to Mihusoo Abdhussattar is a case in point: a wedding that garners headlines simply because it involves a person known from local cinema, not because it carries any significance for the broader public. This pattern of filling entertainment sections with such personal events displaces reporting that could actually inform, educate, or empower society. The thesis is clear: news outlets should stop treating every celebrity milestone as front-page material and instead focus on journalism that serves the public interest. Some will argue that celebrity news merely responds to audience demand, and that covering figures like Rishmee helps sustain local entertainment industries. But this logic collapses under scrutiny. The audiences for these so-called stars are small, and their earnings from performances are hardly enough to justify the disproportionate media attention. By granting them space alongside real news, editors essentially signal that private lives of minor celebrities matter as much as pressing social issues. The marriage of a film star to a production company director may be interesting to a niche audience, but it does not warrant coverage that crowds out stories about education, healthcare, or economic challenges facing Maldivians. The consequence of such editorial choices is a gradual erosion of media credibility. When news organisations routinely prioritise the trivial over the substantive, they teach the public that entertainment is the primary purpose of journalism. This not only misallocates limited editorial resources but also undermines the media’s role as a watchdog and a guide for public discourse. A news outlet that devotes half its entertainment section to a wedding announcement is failing to fulfill its obligation to serve society. The space could be better used to spotlight local entrepreneurs, explain policy changes, or investigate issues affecting everyday life. The remedy is simple: redirect editorial attention from celebrity personal lives toward reporting that is relevant and useful. This does not mean eliminating entertainment coverage altogether, but rather ensuring it does not dominate news space at the expense of substance. By holding itself to higher standards, the media can restore its credibility and genuinely serve the public good. The marriage of Aishath Rishmee is not a national story—it is a private event that should remain private. Let us reserve our headlines for what truly matters.