Comments on: Who at IB posted Russert’s death on Wikipedia?

By: Aaron

Aaron — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:24:53 +0000

But the question remains — why did someone at IB post the news to Wikipedia (unattributed, no less), BEFORE the NY Times or anyone else reported it?

Why sit on a story for your own website while posting something unattributed to wikipedia?

By: Anonymous, continued

Anonymous, continued — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:42:21 +0000

The NY Times then sent an e-mail alert that Russert had died, QUOTING HIS FAMILY. Then at least one NBC-owned station sent out an e-mail alert saying Russert had “apparently” died. Some CBS-owned stations sent out e-mail alerts attributing the news to the Times. People at CBS’ NY station were told to hold off pending “official confirmation from CBS News.” In my mind, once an NBC station reported it, all bets were off. It was fair game to report. (At least two networks, btw, reported Ed Bradley’s death before Katie did her special report. So there is no such thing as waiting for the deceased person’s network to go first our of respect.)

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 17:36:42 +0000

Here’s what happened. CBS stations got an e-mail alerting them to stand by for a special report. NBC then called the other networks and asked them to hold off until they could notify Russert’s family. The NY Times then sent an e-mail alert that Russert had died,M

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 02:54:22 +0000

@7 ANON: the Royal Family has had nearly thirty years ro acquaint itself with computer networking and advancing media. It has chosen perhaps the WISEST path in that it presents an ARCHIVAL version of it’s existance and a gradual yet never complete merging of itself with it’s subjects. By contrast, this is simply impossible to achieve in any other manner. The world has quite simply lost it’s life to itself.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 23:02:53 +0000

@FatFighter: Which isn’t what happened anyway, so your point is kind of lost.

What would the reaction be if it had been Twittered? I’m curious.

By: FatFighter

FatFighter — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 21:49:40 +0000

I know it’s news and anyone can break it, but I think when it comes to the death of someone like Russert, it’s just out of respect to wait for the network to announce the death of one of their own. It’s not a situation where other media should be competing to get it first.

By: jen

jen — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 17:04:55 +0000

When Wikipedia first posted the story, the date of death was June 14, 2008 - the next day. (He died on June 13.)

By: George C

George C — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 14:43:39 +0000

NBC affils had a heads up about that time. They all sat waiting for Brokaw to surface, over a half hour at least.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:03:39 +0000

CBS stations were notified well before NBC’s Special Report. In fact, a co-worker stepped into my office to tell me about Russert’s death, and I spent what seemed like a half hour or so flipping back and forth between CBS and NBC waiting for someone to get on the air with it.

CBS waited until NBC came on, then went on within a minute or so afterward. Waiting for Russert’s network to go on first seemed like the right thing to do.

By: mullah cimoc

mullah cimoc — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 04:42:33 +0000

Am it russert just the fat and corruption media operative?

ameriki need to googling: “mighty wurlitzer” +cia

then to understanding usa not the free press.

am it russert media collaborator of war criminal but loving the praise of man?

By: tdc

tdc — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 02:06:21 +0000

absolutely no disrespect for the man or his family, but get use to it.

anyone from an emt to a flatfoot at the scene can now break news.

btw- i smell a rat - the perp (who happens to work with computers everyday) wouldn’t realize the ip would be traced?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:50:16 +0000

#5, there was also the weirdly prescient posting about wrestler Chris Benoit’s wife 14 hours before her body was discovered.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Benoit_double_murder_and_suicide#Wikipedia_controversy

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:36:49 +0000

This reminds me of how the BBC will not report a major Windsor death until the palace allows it.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2001/aug/13/mondaymediasection.themonarchy

By: anonymous

anonymous — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 21:35:35 +0000

someone i work with got a text from TMZ.com about the death before NBC sent the email to affiliates about the cutin.

i think NBC took a minute to get on the air because they wanted to go with Brian Williams, but couldn’t get a sat feed set up in afghanistan and so they went with Tom Brokaw.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 20:39:39 +0000

It would be one of the few correct things initially placed on Wikipedia, although the edit “wOOt! The _____ is dead” on Saddam Hussein’s entry was on the money, if not a little crude.