The purpose of newspapers, as their name suggests, is to present news. The issue however, is how the word 'news' is defined. While some define news as world current affairs, the others call it peeking-into-private-lives-of-famous-people. As for which definition is appropriate - it is anybody’s guess.

The general belief is that people's private lives should not be in newspapers. Who a celebrity is dating or whose birthday invites they have accepted should not be a public concern, unless it is a matter of national security, or public safety. If the dailies do indeed want to publish articles about famous people, the focus should be on public events and achievements.

It is also believed that papers should strive to present the truth and not needlessly perpetuate rumours. With the constant barrage of fake news on the internet, newspapers are considered the last bastions of truth and people should be able to rely on newspapers for the actual truth.

Magazines, on the other hand, are a different breed of reading material. Their foci may vary. From celebrity gossip to nature news, each magazine chooses its mainstay and stays on in consistently, and recurrently. Since they have openly chosen their bread and butter, there is little to cause to question their content or integrity. But each of these is an opinion, and hence moot.

In the final analysis, I believe, that it is the media’s job to survive, and they do what they need to survive. It is up to use to decide whether to get drawn into the debate about the propriety of information or simply take what we want and discard the rest.

Things about vocabulary you would do well to know:

Foci is one of the plural form of the word focus.

Moot - subject to debate, not having practical relevance.

Bastion - stronghold

Propriety - correctness; from the word proper.