TMZ has come under fire for its decision to publish images of Liam Payne’s body following his tragic death, sparking widespread outrage online.
The news outlet reported Payne’s passing on Wednesday, October 16, after the former singer allegedly fell from a third-floor balcony in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
His body was discovered in the hotel’s internal courtyard, and TMZ published photos showing Payne’s arm and waist, identifiable by his tattoos, on their website. The now-removed images depicted the scene “on a wooden deck at the hotel with tables and chairs nearby.”
The release of these images was met with swift backlash, with many voicing their anger on social media. Celebrity presenter Rylan Clark tweeted, “TMZ f**king shame on you. Disgrace.” Singer Alessia Cara also condemned the publication, writing, “You’re gross @TMZ.”
Others echoed the sentiment, with one person tweeting, “TMZ posting part of a photo of Liam Payne’s dead body in an article announcing his death is beyond deplorable. I can’t tell if I’m losing my mind lately or if society has always been this overtly morally decrepit.”
In response to the public outcry, TMZ executive producer Michael Babcock defended the decision to publish the images. Appearing on Fox 5 New York on Thursday, October 17, he explained the newsroom’s reasoning. “There’s a balance, and that’s obviously a conversation that newsrooms across the world have — you want to be sensitive to the family and to the friends, and also while working a news story,” Babcock said.
He elaborated that at the time of reporting, police had not confirmed Payne’s identity. “What was done on the TMZ website, there was an image — did not show the full image, didn’t show his face — but that showed his arm and his abdomen, where he has some very recognisable tattoos, so that’s sort of used as a way to confirm, or to match up the tattoos at a point where police had not yet confirmed his identity. And then, once they did, obviously, that photo was removed.”
Babcock acknowledged the tragedy of the situation, stating, “I mean, it’s just a terribly horrific and sad story. It’s something obviously that shouldn’t have happened, and this guy had so much life left to live, and you feel horrible for everybody.”
According to a transcript from the Buenos Aires police department, hotel staff made two emergency calls reporting that a guest was “intoxicated by drugs and alcohol.” Authorities found Payne’s hotel room in “complete disarray,” with several items broken.
The post-mortem examination confirmed that Payne died from multiple traumas and “internal and external haemorrhage.”
