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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
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(Newser) – 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.

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...
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...   (Associated Press)
Britney Spears is carried on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance from her home in Beverly Hills Ca. late Thursday night Jan. 3, 2008. Police were called to Spears' home Thursday night in a custodial dispute involving her children, authorities said. Officers were called at 8 p.m. and were...
Britney Spears is carried on a stretcher to a waiting ambulance from her home in Beverly Hills Ca. late Thursday night Jan. 3, 2008. Police were called to Spears' home Thursday night in a custodial dispute...   (Associated Press)
In this image released by Entertainment Tonight, Britney Spears is wheeled out of the ambulance on a gurney at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in this Jan. 3, 2008, file photo in Los Angeles. Spears is one of a handful of top-tier stars who drive the growing multibillion dollar industry in celebrity...
In this image released by "Entertainment Tonight", Britney Spears is wheeled out of the ambulance on a gurney at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in this Jan. 3, 2008, file photo in Los Angeles. Spears is...   (Associated Press)
Britney Spears, center, is surrounded by Los Angeles police officers, as a throng of media tries to photograph her leaving a Los Angeles court after a hearing to work out custody arrangements with her ex-husband Kevin Federline for their two young sons in this Oct. 26, 2007, file photo in...
Britney Spears, center, is surrounded by Los Angeles police officers, as a throng of media tries to photograph her leaving a Los Angeles court after a hearing to work out custody arrangements with her...   (Associated Press)
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Britney Spears • tabloids • paparazzi • celebrity • magazine industry

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