February 27th, 2012

Whitney Houston’s parents have decided to sell the rights to her funeral footage to various media outlets. The families decision should be deemed unethical even though the own the rights to the footage.

Houston’s family firmly believes that the monetary benefits of selling the funeral video will help support her daughter Bobbi Kristina now and in the future.

Whitney Houston was found dead in her Los Angeles hotel bathtub on February 11th, 2010. Her autopsy relived alcohol and several prescription drugs in her system, but an actual cause of death was not released to the public, however reports indicate that the combination was ultimately her downfall. Whitney Houston Autopsy

Part of the ethical issue with selling funeral footage to the public is the sensitive nature of the subject. Funerals are an “invitation only” event due to the fact that they are extremely personal. Just because Whitney Houston was a popular superstar doesn’t mean she should have her burial sold to the public.

The same controversy was brought up when Michael Jacksons family opted to stream his funeral live. However in Michael’s family also received criticism for his very over-the-top public ceremony, as oppsed to Houston’s quite, private funeral. In that case the Jackson’s were assertively criticized for their decision, and the same is likely to happen to the Houston’s.

Donald Giordano