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A Test Story Morphs Into a Heady Rumor (ABCNEWS Screwup; Falsely Reports Death of Ronald Reagan)
The New York Times ^
| June 30, 2003
| Jim Rutenberg
Posted on 06/30/2003 12:46:13 AM PDT by Dont Mention the War
June 30, 2003
A Test Story Morphs Into a Heady Rumor
By JIM RUTENBERG
he week before last, a rumor swept Washington that Ronald Reagan had died. The story first wound its way through Republican circles, then moved on to the State Department, and finally reached House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's office.
The source of the report was ABC News. But the staff of ABC News never actually thought Mr. Reagan was dead. Rather, it seems, the word spread as the staff took part in one of the division's now common breaking-news drills, which news executives concocted to make sure the division never again gets caught off guard by breaking news, as it was during the space shuttle Columbia disaster and the start of Gulf War II.
The division's initial slowness to aggressively cover those events infuriated the prickly yet powerful affiliates. The division has promised it will never happen again.
So, during the last couple weeks, producers, camera operators, correspondents, technicians and even Peter Jennings, on a couple of occasions, have scrambled to cover a host of potential tragedies, from a major bridge collapse to a terrorist attack in New York. The results have been shown on the ABC News internal television system, with on-screen writing that labels them as test material.
On Wednesday, June 18, ABC News began its Ronald-Reagan-is-dead test. Paul Slavin, an ABC News senior vice president, said it was possible that some snoopy competitor eavesdropped on a crew that was pretending to cover Mr. Reagan's death from the White House lawn and started the rumor mill by calling around town to find out if it was true.
However, Mr. Slavin said, anybody who jumped to the conclusion that the imaginary news event was real would have had to have been "particularly moronic."
"It was not Terry Moran," an ABC News White House correspondent, "all ginned up," Mr. Slavin said. "It literally was a technician in grungy clothes and laconically mouthing a couple of words to make sure the audio was working."
Mr. Slavin said the incident would not end the drills, though not everybody is enthralled with them. "There is a little complaining," Mr. Slavin said. He said he was pleased with the job that has been done, but the staff must realize "this is our livelihood and we cannot afford another mistake. I think it would be a very grave issue."
TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: abc; abcdisney; abcnews; boycott; boycottdisney; disney; disneynews; mediabias; mediascrewups; mickeymouse; mousesevilempire; newsmedia; presidentreagan; reagan; ronaldreagan
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"This is our livelihood and we cannot afford another mistake."
Like the one you just made, Slavin?
Imbeciles.
To: Dont Mention the War
And don't forget...
These rumors come to us from that bastion of credibility...THE NEW YORK TIMES!
When NYT covers ABC, you can't believe anybody.
2
posted on
06/30/2003 1:00:38 AM PDT
by
Tall_Texan
(Why aren't we checking the DNC for WMDs?)
To: Dont Mention the War
To: Dont Mention the War
What I want to know is this? Why is it that Reagan has been the brunt of this twice? This isn't the first time a test broadcast name Reagan as having died. I belive it was around 18 months to two years ago.
Are these networks trying to say they are secretly wishing Reagan was dead? I'm sorry, but you don't have to use a real individual. They could use a made up person's name. No they keep picking Reagan.
Screw them. Use that bastard Carter for your tests you pricks!
4
posted on
06/30/2003 2:08:35 AM PDT
by
DoughtyOne
(Vote RIPublican in 2004: Socialism's kinder gentler party: "We will leave no wallet left behind!")
To: Dont Mention the War
...the staff took part in one of the division's now common breaking-news drills, which news executives concocted to make sure the division never again gets caught off guard by breaking news, as it was during the space shuttle Columbia disaster and the start of Gulf War II. For breaking news, they should monitor Free Republic.
The Wall Street Journal (and even some leftist sites like DUh) wrote about the real time observation thread of the Columbia's last flyby (and the ensuing tragedy).
5
posted on
06/30/2003 2:24:42 AM PDT
by
weegee
To: JerseyHighlander
"Bob Hope" was reported to have died too some time back.
Why not Teddy Kennedy? Why not Larry Flynt?
6
posted on
06/30/2003 2:27:10 AM PDT
by
weegee
To: Dont Mention the War
Is this the actual headline in the
Times?
If it is, it is very offensive, since "heady" generally means "intoxicating; excited as if by alcohol or drugs; giddy."
The headline itself is a scandal.
To: DoughtyOne
I don't think it's any animus toward Reagan. Sadly, the man is 92 and has been in a state of decline for almost 10 years.
In those circumstances, media outlets prepare comprehensive obituaries in advance, so they only have to fill in the time and date when someone actually does pass away. That way they can run a retrospective on the person's life immediately (as we saw this weekend with Katherine Hepburn).
However thankful we are that the Gipper is still with us, sadly, one day very soon, the obituary will be real. :(
8
posted on
06/30/2003 2:36:55 AM PDT
by
tdadams
To: Miss Marple
"Heady" is the actual headline.
To: Dont Mention the War
Unbelievable. Imagine it as
"A Test Story Morphs into an Intoxicating Rumor."I think the New York Times is despicable. Other than the staff of the Times and the denizens of DU, who would find the rumor of an old man's death "heady." Were they anticipating dancing on his grave or what?
To: Dont Mention the War
Similar errors have occurred for years.
Remember Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens) on returning from a trip to Europe only to find newspaper published reports that he had died. "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated," he said.
In the late 60's there was a tv news report that Khruschev had died--later retracted.
News rooms screw up. Rumors spread. Even that Regan report made it to FR as a thread--but got pulled when no additional confirmation came forth.
After the book, Bias, and the NYT fiasco, however, now is not the time for media to be showing such gross neglect in accuracy.
11
posted on
06/30/2003 3:06:11 AM PDT
by
TomGuy
To: TomGuy
Not to memntion the paper's obvious hatred of Reagan in the headline of the story.
To: weegee
For breaking news, they should monitor Free Republic. True story - on 9-11 I read about the events on FR and was downstairs to a cafe with a TV before the national networks broke in. The local NY Freepers had it posted before the national news went live.
13
posted on
06/30/2003 3:37:49 AM PDT
by
BlueNgold
(Feed the Tree .....)
To: tdadams
I don't so much mind this practice, but I am getting tired of hearing about Reagan. Someone mentioned it happend earlier this year. It happened now. And I read it several years ago. This is three times we know of. Come up with another scenario.
Yes it will be real some time in the not too distant future. If he's as bad as I think he is by now, I wish him a speedy trip. He's lead a good life.
14
posted on
06/30/2003 3:46:11 AM PDT
by
DoughtyOne
(Vote RIPublican in 2004: Socialism's kinder gentler party: "We will leave no wallet left behind!")
To: weegee
The Wall Street Journal (and even some leftist sites like DUh) wrote about the real time observation thread of the Columbia's last flyby (and the ensuing tragedy).
The utter lack of class that I observed on DU's shuttle threads the morning it happened convinced me that for my blood pressure and general health, I should never go there again. The vitriol was amazing, as was the way they tried to pin the explosion on Dubya within about 15 minutes.
15
posted on
06/30/2003 6:07:25 AM PDT
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
To: Dont Mention the War; Miss Marple
Come to think of it, "heady" is quite offensive in this context. To us, at least.
16
posted on
06/30/2003 6:07:59 AM PDT
by
Xenalyte
(I may not agree with your bumper sticker, but I'll defend to the death your right to stick it)
To: Xenalyte
The press has written about FR in a variety of articles (usually as an "activist" site FReeping polls and email boxes).
The shuttle story was a rare exception of good press that showed much of what FR is often like (running conversation, usually of a conservative nature but not always).
The press hasn't ever covered the bitterness to be found on that other site. That site has appeared in some "top sites" poll choices though (I think on about.com and at some other places). I would nominate it for "top website alternative to ipecac".
17
posted on
06/30/2003 6:56:40 AM PDT
by
weegee
To: Dont Mention the War
If they really wanted to prevent their drills from becoming news, you'd think they'd get around to using ficticious names.
So, if they can't or won't make that simple adjustment, it's probably safe to assume they don't mind if some "eavesdropper" runs with the story.
18
posted on
06/30/2003 7:12:21 AM PDT
by
newgeezer
(Just my opinion, of course. Your mileage may vary. You have the right to be wrong.)
To: Dont Mention the War
"particularly moronic."particularly (Terry) "morAnic"?! hehe!
They must be beside themselves for not using Strom for this little exercise...now that would have been a real scoop for breaking news!!!!!!!!
God bless Sen. Thurmond and his family.
These media people are just disgusting! "Heady", my arse...how subtle is that? Imbeciles is right...dreadfully insensitive and just plain tin-ear stoopid.
19
posted on
06/30/2003 9:40:34 AM PDT
by
88keys
To: Dont Mention the War
to make sure the division never again gets caught off guard by breaking news, as it was during the space shuttle Columbia disaster and the start of Gulf War II. LOL! Two events, six weeks apart, and they still couldn't get the word out on time.
20
posted on
06/30/2003 9:46:40 AM PDT
by
rabidralph
(First Aid to libs? Coulterize the wound.)
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