Britney's Antics Fuel Tabloid Economy

One-woman train wreck drives demand for gossip, photos, security
By Zach Samalin,  Newser Staff
Posted Jan 29, 2008 11:57 AM CST
Britney's Antics Fuel Tabloid Economy
In this image taken from video and released by TMZ, Britney Spears arrives to court in Los Angeles Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 for her child custody ruling. Superior Court commissioner decided Monday to keep in effect an earlier order suspending Britney Spears' right to visit her two sons and keeping them...   (Associated Press)

Whether she's flouncing out of a courthouse or wigging out on hospital staffers, pop star Britney Spears and her antics are creating their own celebrity media economy, the AP reports. For OK! magazine, the "Spears industry" helped double revenue in 2007 to $51 million. "We're on constant Britney alert," said an editor.

"An editor's dream is to have a real life soap opera unraveling in front of you, and Britney provides that every week," she added. Paparazzi are cashing in, too, with an exclusive shot fetching as much as $10,000 and residual fees upwards of $100,000. "Britney is the most bankable celebrity out there right now, and she has been for the past year," said a photo agency head. (More Britney Spears stories.)

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