The New York Times published a great story yesterday about the outrageously high prices tabloid rags will pay celebrities to run the first images of their new babies. Richard Perez-Pena writes:

Not long ago, when a magazine paid a celebrity more than a person might earn in a lifetime in return for a set of pictures, media critics questioned the ethics of both the publication and the star.

That is so passé. Writing an enormous check for a celebrity photo spread and interview has become pretty routine for People magazine and OK! weekly.

So the better question now is, is it worth it? Can a few snapshots of a baby or a bride, accompanied by a fawning article, really be worth millions of dollars?

On the whole it probably is, industry executives and consultants say, acknowledging that is a tough question to answer.

To read the rest of the story, click here.

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