Michael Jackson coverage - TMZ says he's dead, nobody else does

I hope this is a lesson for more traditional reporters, news agencies, networks, etc.

The ones who are inclined to simply bitch about TMZ - "how DARE they confirm Michael Jackson's death first?" - are dinosaurs who should be, and will be, purged from the business.

 

Actually, I think you can call TMZ traditional in the sense that Variety and The Hollywood Reporter are traditional, covering the entertainment world, only electronically. I don't know what the letters stand for, but they seem to get the big stuff right.

 

I think you're right. And I don't know what it stands for either.....

 

Turns out, it stands for "Thirty Mile Zone," which a 2006 Newsweek story says is an "antiquated studio bylaw." From wikipedia (judge accuracy on your own): "Studio zone (also thirty-mile zone) is a term used in the American entertainment industry to describe the area within a thirty-mile (48.3 km) radius from the intersection of West Beverly Boulevard and North La Cienega Boulevard in Los Angeles, California. In addition, the studio zone includes the Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Conejo Ranch property, although it technically lies outside of the zone's radius."

And there we are.

 

isn't tmz essentially entertainment's version of espn? just like i'd think espn should be on top of breaking sports news, in theory aren't the top reporters for tmz show biz's version of mort, buster, clayton, etc.?

or is that giving tmz too much credit? as a distant outsider when it comes to show biz, seems to me the cnn's of the world being hesitant or outright refusing to acknowledge tmz reports is precisely how espn was treated in its infancy by "legit" news organizations.

now the n.y. times and others credit espn several times a week. a reasonable comparison? ??? ??? ??? ???

 

This is my opinion on the matter. CNN's non-confirmation for AGES was bizarre, but other than that I don't think the way this played out is particularly surprising.

A news outlet that focuses solely on entertainment news was the first to break an entertainment news story. How is surprising?

For what it's worth, I didn't take it seriously until I read it from the LA Times. The newspaper in the city where Jackson lived. Did the Washington Post or New York Times get spanked by the LAT because they didn't have it first? I don't think anyone would suggest that. I don't see why it's surprising or embarrassing TMZ broke this story.

ETA: And given the anonymous manner TMZ goes about its sourcing, I think any respectable news organization should damn well at least check the solidity of its fact before running with it.

 

i don't think cnn has been spanked for not getting it first. what was incredibly embarrassing for them was how long it took for them to get their own independent confirmation. not having any reporters with a rolodex to reach ANY contact in l.a. in the know was truly excruciating to watch. :-[

 

"Don't drag us into this."