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Did the Wash Post really report Wooden died?

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by apseloser, Jun 4, 2010.

  1. apseloser

    apseloser Member

    I heard "multiple reports" got it wrong. Who else? I wasn't on the web as it was all breaking.

    If true, how utterly sad. In the race to be first, you can get a lot of stories wrong and not hear about it — hey ESPN dopes, what time is that USC NCAA report coming out today? Oops — but good God, not this one.

    A disturbing sign of the times. So few seem to care about getting it right anymore.
     
  2. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    I did not see the Post. Or anyone else's report. But there was quite a buzz at work last night about these reports and being careful what was retweeted and Facebook'ed and all that - because he was indeed still alive.

    Not sure if the Post was one of them but the line I got was "multiple outlets are reporting his death - and it is not true."
     
  3. Screwball

    Screwball Active Member

    The NY Times says yes:

    http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/03/report-of-famed-coachs-death-is-retracted/

    The Times does not mention this, but the OC Register posted this on Twitter:

    The Orange County Register has been told that UCLA coaching legend John Wooden has died at 98.
     
  4. Moderator1

    Moderator1 Moderator Staff Member

    I thought about this while everything was flying around last night.

    I post it not to be disrespectful, not in any way. John Wooden is one of the icons of sport and I will mourn his passing (which I hope isn't for quite a while).

    But to add a little levity to the situation of outlets rushing to get it first, here's a clip from one of my favorite shows:

     
  5. WolvEagle

    WolvEagle Well-Known Member

    Of course, he's not 98. He's 99. So, they were told two wrong things.
     
  6. MileHigh

    MileHigh Moderator Staff Member

    Yes, the Washington Post and Orange County Register reported he had died. And people at the NBA Finals were tweeting it, including Brian Windhorst:

    "A melancoly start to The Finals in LA, John Wooden has reportedly passed away at age 99."

    Yeah, John freakin' Wooden dying is "melancoly."
     
  7. BTExpress

    BTExpress Well-Known Member

    [​IMG]

    At least they had an excuse. The first transcontinental phone line wouldn't be installed for three more years.
     
  8. Frank_Ridgeway

    Frank_Ridgeway Well-Known Member

    It'll be true eventually. It's not as if they got a trade wrong. :)
     
  9. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    These days the pressure isn't just to be first for bragging rights. If you are first on the web on a story like, you get all kinds of folks linking to your story.

    You get links, you get hits plus a higher spot on a google search and more hits.

    So posting 5 minutes later can really affect your web traffic these days on a national story.

    Of course, it helps to be right.
     
  10. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    It doesn't help when they have an obit that's been written and ready to go for the better part of a decade.
     
  11. Rumpleforeskin

    Rumpleforeskin Active Member

    [​IMG]

    I'm not dead yet.
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  12. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    If your mother says she loves you, get me two Tweets that confirm it.
     
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