UnNews:Stop dragging my heart around
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This editorial is part of UnNews, your source for up-to-the-moron misinformation. You can bloody well piss off if you don't like it! THE MANAGEMENT |
Tuesday, October 3, 2017
WEST DOWN Ventura Boulevard -- Today has been extremely confusing, not only because of the Las Vegas mass shooting, but also because of the subject of this article. From the title, you can gather it's related to the premature reports of Tom Petty's death while the beloved musician was still very much alive, albeit in critical condition.
The singer was found unconscious from cardiac arrest and was rushed to the hospital. TMZ, CBS News, and a few other assorted news outlets reported him dead before retracting the news shortly after. At the time, the LAPD had not confirmed his death.
We at UnNews will refrain from updating his status until enough time has passed and we know for certain one way or another.
News organizations should be more careful and responsible in their reporting. I know there's other, more important, shit going on in the world, but we are dealing with not only a popular musician, but a human being. He has family, friends and fans. False alarms like this do nobody any favors. I woke up gutted believing that this rock icon had left this world for a while. I browsed Twitter and played Petty's Greatest Hits CD from 1993, thinking he was dead. And mid-album, I find out that news organizations had jumped the gun. This made for a rather awkward second half of the CD.
How would you like it if you or your loved one were erroneously reported dead, especially by a reputable source such as TMZ or CBS? I'd be pissed! Wouldn't you?
These things (whatever the verdict/result) take time, and the media needs to take that time and collect all of the facts before getting the word out. This is what ethical journalism is all about.
When Tom Petty himself says he's dead, that's the time to start writing those obituaries. Until then, close your word processor and stay away from your keyboard or typewriter.
Thank you.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- John Koblin "CBS Erroneously Reports Tom Petty’s Death, Setting Off an Outpouring" New York Times, October 2, 2017