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Wikipedia hoax fools newspapers

Discussion in 'Journalism topics only' started by Inky_Wretch, May 12, 2009.

  1. fishwrapper

    fishwrapper Active Member

    Agreed.
    Then, I would like to try another experiment. I would like to step on the kid's nuts to see how much pain occurs.
     
  2. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I'm pretty sure if you wear boots you won't feel a thing.
     
  3. Some Guy

    Some Guy Active Member

    Jesus. He's a kid. Kids do stupid shit all the time. If this is the dumbest, most reckless thing this kid ever does, he will have lived a good -- albeit boring -- life.
     
  4. jps

    jps Active Member

    jeez. not the reactions I expected. maybe I should have, I guess, but would think we'd be focusing a bit more on the industry than the horror that this kid has committed. he didn't 'defame' anybody. he put in a quote that otherwise didn't do anything to affect this guy's biographical information. didn't add that he was born a woman or some shit. and what would it matter if we did our collective jobs correctly? wiki folks erased is multiple times. at least they were doing their jobs.

    (though love the fact that while several papers used it, many blogs! went with it.)
     
  5. KJIM

    KJIM Well-Known Member

    People, even reporters, are lazy and spoiled. They want it and they want it now.

    When I worked in the newsroom answering phones, I'd get calls for more information about this or that. I'd say to go to the library. This was met with "and what is their Web address?"

    I could hear their jaws drop when I'd say no, I mean actually get in your car and drive to a brick-and-mortar building.

    And you can forget a member of the public calling a long-distance number for more information.

    It's inconceivable!
     
  6. lantaur

    lantaur Well-Known Member

    Well, with cell phones - where you charged by minutes and not area code - it is quite conceivable. :)
     
  7. Shaggy

    Shaggy Guest

    No shit. Going after the kid? The professional journalists are the ones who screwed up way more than the kid.

    I use Wikipedia, but never, ever, ever, ever as my only source. If I saw that quote and wanted to use it, I would've have found an additional source that had it.
     
  8. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Valid point, but hell, who else is talking about dead French composers? Maybe he'll live on in journalism books.
     
  9. Diabeetus

    Diabeetus Active Member

    Completely agree.
     
  10. buckweaver

    buckweaver Active Member

    Makes me sad that's the way people are reacting here.

    As a journalist, you gotta know some people are going to try to fuck with you. It's your JOB to sort through the bullshit. That's the whole fucking point.

    Wikipedia, while a great starting point, should raise your bullshit meter if you see something there you don't see anywhere else. Never, ever, ever use it as a source.


    And as I did last time you posted this, I'm going to quote it for posterity. It's the best advice anyone can give to an aspiring reporter.

    Just because we have so many new tools at our disposal doesn't mean we should ignore the old ones.
     
  11. Ace

    Ace Well-Known Member

    I agree with the phone being a great research tool. I can get wikipedia on mine!
     
  12. ringer

    ringer Active Member

    The kid's an ass. He was experimenting to see if information on wikipedia would go viral?
    Well, duh. Of course it will.

    But mostly, I loathe people who make up shit about other people.
     
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