Posted on 10/03/2008 7:41:05 AM PDT by Red Badger
"Citizen journalism" apparently just failed its first significant test. A CNN iReport poster reported this morning that Steve Jobs had been rushed to the ER after a severe heart attack. Fortunately, it appears the story was false. We contacted an Apple spokeswoman, who categorically denied it.
CNN's iReport kept the report up until at least 10:15 AM, about 20 minutes after we published Apple's denial. The story has since been removed.
CNN's iReport, Original Story
Steve Jobs was rushed to the ER just a few hours ago after suffering a major heart attack. I have an insider who tells me that paramedics were called after Steve claimed to be suffering from severe chest pains and shortness of breath. My source has opted to remain anonymous, but he is quite reliable. I haven't seen anything about this anywhere else yet, and as of right now, I have no further information, so I thought this would be a good place to start. If anyone else has more information, please share it.
We contacted Apple. Katie Cotton, Vice President of Worldwide Communications, replied quickly, saying "It is not true."
Twitter is abuzz. (See the live Twitter feed, which we've embedded below). Apple's stock also took a major hit before bouncing back:
Applechart.png
We expect this will lead to an SEC investigation. The IP address of the iReport poster will be easily traceable, and we expect the SEC will want to interview him or her to see if the story was "placed." You don't have to be George Soros to figure out how the stock would react to a story like this.
It is significant that this report appeared on a site owned by CNN. CNN does not profess to be directly responsible for iReport, but its name is at the top of the site. It's possible that reports like this will significantly damage CNN's credibility, and we wouldn't be surprised if this caused them to pull back from association with "citizen journalism." As of 10:07 AM ET, ten minutes after we published Apple's denial, iReport was still "reporting" the story. By 10:20, the story had been removed and replaced with this:
iReportstory.png
Here's CNN's vision for iReport:
With this site, we want to share our passion about the news in a way that invites you -- and everyone else -- to share your passion about the news. At CNN we live for news. We love talking about it. And we know that there's a whole lot more to it than what you see on TV or read on your favorite Web site. So we've launched an independent world where you, the iReport.com community, tell the stories we're not used to seeing. And the most compelling, important, and urgent ones may get seen on CNN.
So head on over the homepage and jump in. Tell your story and see how it connects to someone on the other side of the world -- and build a new kind of news site, one made from communities of shared interests, impassioned discussions and great storytelling.
If you want on or off the Mac Ping List, Freepmail me.
I noticed how much thinner, gaunt really, Jobs looked when he introduced the Iphone 3G compared to the original Iphone intro last year. Also, he seemed to hand off a lot of the speaking duty to others, much more than usual. And a lot of others noticed it too. Also, do you know the nature of his surgery? He didn't have typical pancreatic carcinoma which is treated, if at all, with major surgery called a Whipple Procedure. His type of tumor, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, is often treated with much more conservative surgery, involving removal of the affected part of the pancreas but not bowel or stomach.
And calling people morons doesn't help you to convince anyone of your point.
Beeeeyoutiful graphic! ;’)
I thought Stevie had prostate cancer, or something like that, maybe five years ago?
Unfortunately I had a stop loss in at $100.00 Oh well still 3 times what I paid for it. Now have to start all over again.
Not prostate, he had pancreatic cancer. It was surgically removed.
Keep in mind that the type of tumor he had, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor, is not the type of cancer we usually think of when we hear pancreatic cancer. It is usually much less aggressive and the surgery is often (not always) much less extensive than that required for typical pancreatic cancer.
I cant ping the Mac Ping list because Im not at my computer right now. Im responding on my iPhone. I should be able to do it within the hour.
It is possible to FReepmail yourself your ping list, which makes it available to you anywhere you FReep. 'Course that's no help if you can't cut and paste with your iPhone . . .
That's why he is still alive... he had the less virulent form.
I carry my ping lists on a Flash drive so that I can use it on any computer... but that still doesn't help me with posting to the ping list on my iPhone. Rumor has it that iPhone 2.2 will have cut and paste... I hope.
Hey, Sword...where’d ya’ hear that new Macs are coming next week?
I’m looking to get a Macbook Pro after the refresh.
See ya’,
Ed
“Im sure he did not get the blue screen of death”
Very true, but holders of aapl sure were in a kernel panic.
Steve oughta announce that he’s adding a second button to the mouse, the stock will double overnight!
I’ve always wondered about those comments on Apple mouses (mice? meece?) having only one button. My last two iMacs came with a mouse that had 4 buttons.
Re: new Mac notebooks
It’s all over the rumor sites. One even says they will iPhone like touch display pad along with a regular screen.
*sigh*
LOL!
I’m doubt that Edwin Meece ever knew how to use a desktop computer.
How badly does it date me, that I not only know the man’s full name, but recognize his picture? And you, that you would make the connection? On second thought, let’s not go there.
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