WJZ airs fake story straight off the web
Cory Bergman December 6th, 2006
Yikes. WJZ, the CBS affiliate in Baltimore, aired a story from DatelineHollywood.com without realizing the site is entirely satire. The story? That Michael Richards painted his face black and appeared at a celebrity roast for Whoopi Goldberg. It aired twice “in breaking news style,” reports the Baltimore Sun. WJZ ran a short correction later that night, calling the story a “hoax.” Frankly, this producer must be brain dead, because the story and the site are obviously satire. But it does serve as an important reminder that airing random stories off the web without verification, even with attribution, is downright dangerous.
6 Comments Add your own
1. Aric McKeown | December 6th, 2006 at 10:44 am
The article wasn’t much of a satire. Ted Danson, who was dating Whoopi Goldberg at the the time, actually did blackface at her Friars Club roast.
2. Cory | December 6th, 2006 at 11:13 am
True, but did you read the story? And look at the photo?
3. Aric McKeown | December 6th, 2006 at 11:39 am
I’m not saying WJZ isn’t stupid for believing the post without even checking facts. It’s obviously fake.
I’m just saying that DatelineHollywood.com would have been better served picking a more recent event without the confusing parallels.
4. thomas | December 6th, 2006 at 11:40 am
marketing ploy? i bet traffic is up on their site.
5. tish grier | December 8th, 2006 at 2:31 pm
hmmm…when so many in the blogosphere (and some very respected media critis) couldn’t see that LonelyGirl15 was “satire,” why get peeved at a little network that’s just trying to get a scoop? seriously. some big britches media critics can get it wrong, so can some lowly network out in the mididle of Baltimore. right now, everybody’s getting some things wrong some of the time. might we call this the Alice’s looking glass effect?
6. Park Heighter | December 23rd, 2006 at 4:08 pm
WJZ is so far to the Left that much of their programing has to be taken with a grain of sand. They and their national Affiliate simply cannot be trusted.
Is it true that one has to be a Registered Democrat to work there?
Conservative Park
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