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PFT-Did They Cross The Line? (1 Viewer)

F

Family Matters

Footballguy
Yesterday, PFT reported this:

"POSTED 3:13 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay."

Now I realize they are a rumor grinder by their nature. But did they cross the line on this? They state it's unconfirmed and yet they decided to post it anyway. What I'm wondering is do they have any moral values at all? Or will they simply post anything that anyone says and call it "uncomfirmed"?

I know many if you have found their site in bad taste before. But until now I have felt they were at times not very responsible and tastless in their approach in the manner that they belittle anyone they don't like but I think they made a big mistake with this one.

If they want to be a rumor mill that's one thing but show some class. There are plenty of harmless rumors out there to report on but this can only be motivated by 1 thing: GREED.

 
I was a journalist for several years, and we always triangulated our sources (especially in cases like this). However, I don't think they crossed any lines here, unless they made the entire thing up.

I actually enjoy PFT, but they are not a news source of record, and have no obligation to look for multiple sources. If they had a single source who told them about this, and they reported on it, then I'm cool with it. That's what they do after all.

 
Their style just doesn't mesh with me...they strike me as guys I would absolutely hate hanging out and throwing back some brews with; so I removed them from my bookmarks a long time ago.

I know they're not a "competitor" with us, but just compare the work Bloom and Cec do on the Audible and how professional their approach is versus what Mike and his crew do on the PFT podcast. I think that's a really great contrast between the approach FBG takes to news and analysis versus their site.

 
I think it is irresponsible to publish a report about someone's death based solely on a rumor.

It is one thing when you are talking about a player that is going to be traded or a coach that is going to be fired but when you talking about someone being killed in a car accident you should double and even triple check your sources.

Very poor judgement. :thumbup:

 
Godsbrother said:
I think it is irresponsible to publish a report about someone's death based solely on a rumor. It is one thing when you are talking about a player that is going to be traded or a coach that is going to be fired but when you talking about someone being killed in a car accident you should double and even triple check your sources.Very poor judgement. :thumbdown:
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On the nose!Show some class PFT.
 
Godsbrother said:
I think it is irresponsible to publish a report about someone's death based solely on a rumor.

It is one thing when you are talking about a player that is going to be traded or a coach that is going to be fired but when you talking about someone being killed in a car accident you should double and even triple check your sources.

Very poor judgement. :thumbdown:
Click to expand...
TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay."
Click to expand...
How is this any different from other stuff that is published? They are not claiming that it is fact. There is a lot of information out there that is not based in factual evidence. Vick just last week was ripped by everyone for a rumor.
 
When you have the thirst to the be the first to break news you are going to print a lot more "unconfirmed" rumors and things that turn out to be patently false. You get the credit when you "break" them and people tend to forget all the misses. Personally, I prefer to have a more accurate source that may be 1 hour/day later as opposed to throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks.

 
It's just so trendy to bash PFT.

Meanwhile news sites are reporting the rumor also, and they're not being called irresponsible.

KSLA story

KTBS story

Terry Bradshaw now knows what Mark Twain meant when he said "reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Rumors that Bradshaw, a Shreveport native, had died of a heart attack swept through the area Thursday.

They were wrong. KTBS talked to a friend of Bradshaw's family Thursday afternoon. He said Bradshaw was on vacation in Mexico and has talked to his parents in Shreveport and told them he is OK.

Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in a Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's now a pro football analyst for Fox Sports.

One theory as to how the rumor got started was that a local radio station reported a wreck on the Terry Bradshaw Passway -- part of the Inner Loop -- and that was misunderstood to say Bradshaw had passed away.
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PFT meanwhile had the story up 7 minutes before they posted a followup:
POSTED 3:13 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay.
Click to expand...
POSTED 3:20 p.m. EST; UPDATED 4:41 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY IS FINE

Whew.

One of our industry sources tells us that the rumors of Terry Bradshaw's demise are not true. He is alive and well and on vacation.

We're not sure how the rumor got started, but it has been running rampant today. Apparently, the FOX public relations department had been inundated with calls regarding Bradhaw's status, even before we posted our first item regarding the rumor.
Click to expand...
 
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Banger said:
When you have the thirst to the be the first to break news you are going to print a lot more "unconfirmed" rumors and things that turn out to be patently false. You get the credit when you "break" them and people tend to forget all the misses. Personally, I prefer to have a more accurate source that may be 1 hour/day later as opposed to throwing everything against the wall and seeing what sticks.
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I think this makes the point very clear. They will throw alot out there and that's fine. I understand what they're doing and I realize they're going to have alot of misses with this approach. It is what it is.But I also think there are still lines (values) that affect you're credibility. Sometimes you don't want to be the first. There are times it's better to let someone else be the first. If they had waited they would of realized it was a huge mistake.Consider how the rumor started Someone misunderstood a news report. IOW-I thought I heard 1 thing so I posted a story about it. Opps. Sorry Terry and your family. Guess I heard it wrong.If you think about it it wouldn't have taken much to figure out it was a stupid mistake. Afterall, it was PFT that fanned the flames on this one. That's why I think they crossed the line.When you are trying to gain some credibility, actions like these set you back IMO.
 
The Scientist said:
Godsbrother said:
I think it is irresponsible to publish a report about someone's death based solely on a rumor.

It is one thing when you are talking about a player that is going to be traded or a coach that is going to be fired but when you talking about someone being killed in a car accident you should double and even triple check your sources.

Very poor judgement. :blackdot:
Click to expand...
TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay."
Click to expand...
How is this any different from other stuff that is published? They are not claiming that it is fact. There is a lot of information out there that is not based in factual evidence. Vick just last week was ripped by everyone for a rumor.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have a problem with it if they just said that he was in a car accident. They went over the line when they reported that he was killed.Go ask the loved ones of the miners that died in the Sago Mine disaster how they feel about stories based on rumors. When it comes to life and death you need to be extra cautious about what you report.

 
fatness said:
It's just so trendy to bash PFT.

Meanwhile news sites are reporting the rumor also, and they're not being called irresponsible.

KSLA story

KTBS story

Terry Bradshaw now knows what Mark Twain meant when he said "reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Rumors that Bradshaw, a Shreveport native, had died of a heart attack swept through the area Thursday.

They were wrong. KTBS talked to a friend of Bradshaw's family Thursday afternoon. He said Bradshaw was on vacation in Mexico and has talked to his parents in Shreveport and told them he is OK.

Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in a Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's now a pro football analyst for Fox Sports.

One theory as to how the rumor got started was that a local radio station reported a wreck on the Terry Bradshaw Passway -- part of the Inner Loop -- and that was misunderstood to say Bradshaw had passed away.
Click to expand...
PFT meanwhile had the story up 7 minutes before they posted a followup:
POSTED 3:13 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay.
Click to expand...
POSTED 3:20 p.m. EST; UPDATED 4:41 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY IS FINE

Whew.

One of our industry sources tells us that the rumors of Terry Bradshaw's demise are not true. He is alive and well and on vacation.

We're not sure how the rumor got started, but it has been running rampant today. Apparently, the FOX public relations department had been inundated with calls regarding Bradhaw's status, even before we posted our first item regarding the rumor.
Click to expand...
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This is just another example of fanning the flames. Everyone wants to say they were first. Well now we know what they were first at: being stupid.
 
fatness said:
It's just so trendy to bash PFT.

Meanwhile news sites are reporting the rumor also, and they're not being called irresponsible.

KSLA story

KTBS story
Click to expand...
Both of these news sites reported that rumors about Bradshaw's death were UNTRUE. PFT's initial report was the he had been killed. While it is true the said they were rumors they should have waited until they knew whether the rumors were true or false.
 
Godsbrother said:
The Scientist said:
Godsbrother said:
I think it is irresponsible to publish a report about someone's death based solely on a rumor.

It is one thing when you are talking about a player that is going to be traded or a coach that is going to be fired but when you talking about someone being killed in a car accident you should double and even triple check your sources.

Very poor judgement. :X
Click to expand...
TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay."
Click to expand...
How is this any different from other stuff that is published? They are not claiming that it is fact. There is a lot of information out there that is not based in factual evidence. Vick just last week was ripped by everyone for a rumor.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have a problem with it if they just said that he was in a car accident. They went over the line when they reported that he was killed.Go ask the loved ones of the miners that died in the Sago Mine disaster how they feel about stories based on rumors. When it comes to life and death you need to be extra cautious about what you report.
Click to expand...
How is this any different from other stuff that is published?
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Thank you for proving the first part of my argument. You really can't compare this to the Sago Mine Disater. Nobody could just call those guys up, or call their family to see if they were ok....Nobody knew. Im sure Bradshaws family knows if he is alive.

THIS IS NOT BEING REPORTED AS FACT!!! When you are at Safeway and the National Enquirer says "ALIENS LANDED IN New York" .... Do you freak out? PFT as a football information source puts out a lot of information thats not true, they try to break stories. There is an easy way to deal with it.....just don't read it. They are what they are.

 
The Scientist said:
Godsbrother said:
The Scientist said:
Godsbrother said:
I think it is irresponsible to publish a report about someone's death based solely on a rumor.

It is one thing when you are talking about a player that is going to be traded or a coach that is going to be fired but when you talking about someone being killed in a car accident you should double and even triple check your sources.

Very poor judgement. :lmao:
Click to expand...
TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay."
Click to expand...
How is this any different from other stuff that is published? They are not claiming that it is fact. There is a lot of information out there that is not based in factual evidence. Vick just last week was ripped by everyone for a rumor.
Click to expand...
I wouldn't have a problem with it if they just said that he was in a car accident. They went over the line when they reported that he was killed.Go ask the loved ones of the miners that died in the Sago Mine disaster how they feel about stories based on rumors. When it comes to life and death you need to be extra cautious about what you report.
Click to expand...
How is this any different from other stuff that is published?
Click to expand...
Thank you for proving the first part of my argument. You really can't compare this to the Sago Mine Disater. Nobody could just call those guys up, or call their family to see if they were ok....Nobody knew. Im sure Bradshaws family knows if he is alive.

THIS IS NOT BEING REPORTED AS FACT!!! When you are at Safeway and the National Enquirer says "ALIENS LANDED IN New York" .... Do you freak out? PFT as a football information source puts out a lot of information thats not true, they try to break stories. There is an easy way to deal with it.....just don't read it. They are what they are.
Click to expand...
Let's say a friend of one of Bradshaw's brothers was reading PFT, sees the story, and calls them up asking about if it were true ot not? The brother would be like WTF???? Sure he can call his brother and find out he is alive but until he heard from him you could certainly understand that he would be upset. And why? Just so PFT could be the first to report it.

 
To those that are defending PFT on this issue, I have a few questions for you.

1. What do we as readers benefit from the report Bradshaw "might" be dead?

2. Who benefits from a report of this nature?

3. Is it your belief (or values if you will) that they are doing a "good" thing by reporting this?

4. Is it news if it's not true?

5. If I call PFT and say to them "I heard a rumor that you (insert name here) were dead", would you say that's worthy of posting as a rumor?

I can't wait to hear your response.

 
BTW-I realized an interesting point of this story. Notice the time stamps:

"POSTED 3:13 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay."

"POSTED 3:20 p.m. EST; UPDATED 4:41 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY IS FINE

Whew.

One of our industry sources tells us that the rumors of Terry Bradshaw's demise are not true. He is alive and well and on vacation.

We're not sure how the rumor got started, but it has been running rampant today. Apparently, the FOX public relations department had been inundated with calls regarding Bradhaw's status, even before we posted our first item regarding the rumor."

So in 7 minutes they were able to confirm he was ok. But yet they couldn't wait 7 minutes? If anyone seriously believes they were just doing their job then they are full of ity. They were headline grabbing. Period. And at anyone's expense apparently.

 
The Scientist said:
You really can't compare this to the Sago Mine Disater. Nobody could just call those guys up, or call their family to see if they were ok....Nobody knew. Im sure Bradshaws family knows if he is alive.
Click to expand...
Cory Lidle's dad found out he was dead from a news report. Do you think that's appropriate?
 
PFT is very good at what they do...

For some (myself included), it has no appeal

For others (a great many on this board), it serves a purpose

PFT is analogous to the tabloids. Tabloids are a big business; so obviously there's some logic in Florio's approach it would seem.

 
We spend way too much time discussing PFT's methods here. I respect those who don't enjoy what PFT does...to each their own. Their style and methodology are 100% known and it isn't for everyone.

I do enjoy PFT and will continue to read the site on a daily basis. Personally, I find what Michael Irvin and Sean Salisbury "contribute" to ESPN's NFL coverage a waste of my time and no longer watch a program with one of those two getting significant air time. Again, to each their own.

 
trader jake said:
We spend way too much time discussing PFT's methods here. I respect those who don't enjoy what PFT does...to each their own. Their style and methodology are 100% known and it isn't for everyone.I do enjoy PFT and will continue to read the site on a daily basis. Personally, I find what Michael Irvin and Sean Salisbury "contribute" to ESPN's NFL coverage a waste of my time and no longer watch a program with one of those two getting significant air time. Again, to each their own.
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Yeah, I agree with that. People absolutely love getting early rumors on this site, since some of them work out to be true and give us an advantage. Yet rumors reported (as rumors) on PFT are bashed. I can understand people not liking rumors and not liking PFT as a result. But the holier-than-thou sense of moral outrage we see here about PFT has just gotten lame. Don't visit the site if you don't like it; leave PFT's content to the competitors in your league.
 
Family Matters said:
To those that are defending PFT on this issue, I have a few questions for you.1. What do we as readers benefit from the report Bradshaw "might" be dead?2. Who benefits from a report of this nature?3. Is it your belief (or values if you will) that they are doing a "good" thing by reporting this?4. Is it news if it's not true?5. If I call PFT and say to them "I heard a rumor that you (insert name here) were dead", would you say that's worthy of posting as a rumor?I can't wait to hear your response.
Click to expand...
1 and 2. Most people don't "benefit" from a vast majority of the news. What's your point?3. Only good news should be reported?4. In today's internet world, speculation and gossip is indeed news.5. Terry Bradhsaw is a much bigger name than all of us here. News is driven by how recognizable the newsmaker is.You are making WAY too big of a deal out of this.
 
Family Matters said:
To those that are defending PFT on this issue, I have a few questions for you.1. What do we as readers benefit from the report Bradshaw "might" be dead?2. Who benefits from a report of this nature?3. Is it your belief (or values if you will) that they are doing a "good" thing by reporting this?4. Is it news if it's not true?5. If I call PFT and say to them "I heard a rumor that you (insert name here) were dead", would you say that's worthy of posting as a rumor?I can't wait to hear your response.
Click to expand...
You do realize the first people to report this were Pittsburgh(sorry, Shreveport) area news stations right?Heaven forbid PFT report news they hear. Why do people suddenly lose the ability to read or interpret what they read when they click on PFT?
Several readers have sworn to never visit the site again in the wake of their belief that we made up the whole "Terry Bradshaw might be dead" rumor for the sole purpose of generating some extra traffic.But, thanks to KTBS and KSLA in Shreveport, we can prove conclusively that this one wasn't a figment of a hyperactive imagination.Per KTBS, rumors that Bradshaw had died of a heart attack swept through Shreveport on Thursday. KSLA says that the rumors emerged in the morning hours."One theory as to how the rumor got started," says KTBS, "was that a local radio station reported a wreck on the Terry Bradshaw Passway -- part of the Inner Loop -- and that was misunderstood to say Bradshaw had passed away."We first caught wind of the rumors shortly after 3:00 p.m., and we quickly learned via an industry source that Bradshaw is vacationing in Mexico. He reportedly is playing golf there with his brother, Gary. KSLA spoke with Bradshaw's aunt, who said that she personally talked with Gary to ensure that Terry was okay. "He said the worst thing that's happened to Terry today is 'his [golf] ball landed in the rough,'" the aunt said.
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Yeah, PFT made it clear it was a rumor on their site. But if it turned out Bradshaw had been dead, they would have pointed out how they broke the story. Or, if it turned out Bradshaw wasn't dead, they can just say, well, that was a rumor. They cover themselves either way.

I will always read the site. They have broken stories in the past. And hey, it's easy to read. One page, scroll down. How long's it take? The site definitely has value.

But it's tough to defend them when they fall on their face. In fact, it's tough not to enjoy it. Florio is mean-spirited, not nearly as funny as he thinks he is, and writes like a half-drunk frat boy, screaming insults at everyone.

They are the first ones to point out when any of the other info guys make mistakes, they pick through Pasquarelli's columns like professor's gradng a midterm, and triumphantly highlight the smallest error. Considering the items they publish that often lead nowhere, this would seem ironic, if not so pathetic and petty.

PFT has had a real bad run of it lately. They've really screwed the pooch on the various coaching searches around the league, prematurely placing coaches in certain jobs, and not really getting the scoop on any job.

They'll redeem themselves during the FA period, as NFL agents do seem to feed them items. I would guess that player agents are their primary source of info. PFT is always good about getting contract numbers, and as I recall, they scooped a few FA moves.

 
diesel7982 said:
You do realize the first people to report this were Pittsburgh area news stations right?
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Which news station was that?I live in Pittsburgh and watched Channel 11 at dinner time and Channel 4 this morning from 6:00-6:30 and didn't hear a word about it until I logged onto FBG this morning.
 
Jason Wood said:
PFT is very good at what they do...For some (myself included), it has no appealFor others (a great many on this board), it serves a purposePFT is analogous to the tabloids. Tabloids are a big business; so obviously there's some logic in Florio's approach it would seem.
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:shrug: A daily stop for me 50% for reading pleasure and 50% for news. As a hopeless cynic, his style does resonate strongly with me but I understand how it would rub some the wrong way. The one comment above I'll disagree with is the comparison to tabloids. I believe Florio is far more connected to league insiders and delivers far more news than this comparison would suggest (i.e. some two bit hack making up "elephant sized baby" stories that have no real sources, purely for shock value). Those turned off by the PFT style should leave it at that, especially after admitting they no longer visit the site. A person who sees one in a hundred PFT stories, only when posted to this board, can't justifiably discredit the majority of PFT content with broad charatizations. It's pretty typical for those opposed to the PFT style to take liberties discrediting the PFT content they no longer themselves even read, unfortunately. I see it all the time. That said, I agree he crossed the line with this report. However, he has also apologized and noted to his readers that it was a learning experience as he will not treat death news as other news in the future without firm confirmations. It did disappoint me as a reader but it won't change my daily visit.
 
BigJim® said:
That said, I agree he crossed the line with this report. However, he has also apologized and noted to his readers that it was a learning experience as he will not treat death news as other news in the future without firm confirmations. It did disappoint me as a reader but it won't change my daily visit.
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Glad to hear that he did this. :bag:
 
massraider said:
Yeah, PFT made it clear it was a rumor on their site. But if it turned out Bradshaw had been dead, they would have pointed out how they broke the story. Or, if it turned out Bradshaw wasn't dead, they can just say, well, that was a rumor. They cover themselves either way.

I will always read the site. They have broken stories in the past. And hey, it's easy to read. One page, scroll down. How long's it take? The site definitely has value.

But it's tough to defend them when they fall on their face. In fact, it's tough not to enjoy it. Florio is mean-spirited, not nearly as funny as he thinks he is, and writes like a half-drunk frat boy, screaming insults at everyone.

They are the first ones to point out when any of the other info guys make mistakes, they pick through Pasquarelli's columns like professor's gradng a midterm, and triumphantly highlight the smallest error. Considering the items they publish that often lead nowhere, this would seem ironic, if not so pathetic and petty.

PFT has had a real bad run of it lately. They've really screwed the pooch on the various coaching searches around the league, prematurely placing coaches in certain jobs, and not really getting the scoop on any job.

They'll redeem themselves during the FA period, as NFL agents do seem to feed them items. I would guess that player agents are their primary source of info. PFT is always good about getting contract numbers, and as I recall, they scooped a few FA moves.
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:bag: I think a big part of the issue here is that PFT frequently acts like they should be viewed as a legitimate news organization while living up to none of the ethical responsibilities of being one. I have no problem with a site if they are going to pass on every rumor they hear without verification, as long as they make it clear that is what they are doing. But if that's what you're doing, then you don't go acting like you're a real news organization. You don't get in the "we broke it first" game when you are reporting anything as soon as you hear it and not bothering to verify it like those media outlets that you claim to be competing against do.

 
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Florio has a regular spot on our local radio station. He doesn't really impress me as someone who brings a lot of good info to the table.

 
The Scientist said:
THIS IS NOT BEING REPORTED AS FACT!!! When you are at Safeway and the National Enquirer says "ALIENS LANDED IN New York" .... Do you freak out? PFT as a football information source puts out a lot of information thats not true, they try to break stories. There is an easy way to deal with it.....just don't read it. They are what they are.
Click to expand...
Great argument--IF PFT wants to be known as the "National Enquirer of the Football World". If that's what they want, then they're well on their way. On the other hand, if they want to be known as a serious news source, they need to rethink their practices. Somehow, I doubt that being equated with the National Enquirer is one of their goals.
 
Despyzer said:
Family Matters said:
To those that are defending PFT on this issue, I have a few questions for you.1. What do we as readers benefit from the report Bradshaw "might" be dead?2. Who benefits from a report of this nature?3. Is it your belief (or values if you will) that they are doing a "good" thing by reporting this?4. Is it news if it's not true?5. If I call PFT and say to them "I heard a rumor that you (insert name here) were dead", would you say that's worthy of posting as a rumor?I can't wait to hear your response.
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1 and 2. Most people don't "benefit" from a vast majority of the news. What's your point?3. Only good news should be reported?4. In today's internet world, speculation and gossip is indeed news.5. Terry Bradhsaw is a much bigger name than all of us here. News is driven by how recognizable the newsmaker is.You are making WAY too big of a deal out of this.
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:welcome: That was quite a collection of strange questions which ignore both reality and context. Just sour grapes because PFT has been a loud and justified critic of Lewis and the Bengals organization.
 
They also claim to be well connected.... so why didn't they try to confirm it independently before reporting it, even as a rumor? Blatant attempt to buy more site hits IMO. Trash journalism at it's worst.

 
BigJim® said:
Despyzer said:
Family Matters said:
To those that are defending PFT on this issue, I have a few questions for you.1. What do we as readers benefit from the report Bradshaw "might" be dead?2. Who benefits from a report of this nature?3. Is it your belief (or values if you will) that they are doing a "good" thing by reporting this?4. Is it news if it's not true?5. If I call PFT and say to them "I heard a rumor that you (insert name here) were dead", would you say that's worthy of posting as a rumor?I can't wait to hear your response.
Click to expand...
1 and 2. Most people don't "benefit" from a vast majority of the news. What's your point?3. Only good news should be reported?4. In today's internet world, speculation and gossip is indeed news.5. Terry Bradhsaw is a much bigger name than all of us here. News is driven by how recognizable the newsmaker is.You are making WAY too big of a deal out of this.
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:lmao: That was quite a collection of strange questions which ignore both reality and context. Just sour grapes because PFT has been a loud and justified critic of Lewis and the Bengals organization.
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You are reading way too much into this to draw this conclusion. I guess I should assume you hate them because they are critical of Vick?
 
fatness said:
It's just so trendy to bash PFT.

Meanwhile news sites are reporting the rumor also, and they're not being called irresponsible.

KSLA story

KTBS story

Terry Bradshaw now knows what Mark Twain meant when he said "reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Rumors that Bradshaw, a Shreveport native, had died of a heart attack swept through the area Thursday.

They were wrong. KTBS talked to a friend of Bradshaw's family Thursday afternoon. He said Bradshaw was on vacation in Mexico and has talked to his parents in Shreveport and told them he is OK.

Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in a Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's now a pro football analyst for Fox Sports.

One theory as to how the rumor got started was that a local radio station reported a wreck on the Terry Bradshaw Passway -- part of the Inner Loop -- and that was misunderstood to say Bradshaw had passed away.
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PFT meanwhile had the story up 7 minutes before they posted a followup:
POSTED 3:13 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay.
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POSTED 3:20 p.m. EST; UPDATED 4:41 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY IS FINE

Whew.

One of our industry sources tells us that the rumors of Terry Bradshaw's demise are not true. He is alive and well and on vacation.

We're not sure how the rumor got started, but it has been running rampant today. Apparently, the FOX public relations department had been inundated with calls regarding Bradhaw's status, even before we posted our first item regarding the rumor.
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:lmao:
 
Despyzer said:
Family Matters said:
To those that are defending PFT on this issue, I have a few questions for you.1. What do we as readers benefit from the report Bradshaw "might" be dead?2. Who benefits from a report of this nature?3. Is it your belief (or values if you will) that they are doing a "good" thing by reporting this?4. Is it news if it's not true?5. If I call PFT and say to them "I heard a rumor that you (insert name here) were dead", would you say that's worthy of posting as a rumor?I can't wait to hear your response.
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1 and 2. Most people don't "benefit" from a vast majority of the news. What's your point?3. Only good news should be reported?4. In today's internet world, speculation and gossip is indeed news.5. Terry Bradhsaw is a much bigger name than all of us here. News is driven by how recognizable the newsmaker is.You are making WAY too big of a deal out of this.
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So you thinkI'm making way to big a deal out of someone reporting about a death that didn't happen? That's an interesting comment under the circumstance.As to your reply to my questions, I didn't realize it was news. You are giving PFT credit for reporting news and yet it never happened. Gossip isn't news, that's why they call it gossip. If you read the definition of gossip then you'll understnd better. Lastly, just because PFT used Bradshaws name doesn't make it news.I'm sorry but your post is without thought. It reads as though you just wated to be contrary rather than take an actual position on this. If you like PFT then fine. I can understand that. But to support a stupid and careless act like this is simply amazing.For those that feel I'm making too big a deal out this then so be it. I happen to feel it's worth making a big deal about. That's my position on it and I'm good with it.
 
pinda said:
fatness said:
It's just so trendy to bash PFT.

Meanwhile news sites are reporting the rumor also, and they're not being called irresponsible.

KSLA story

KTBS story

Terry Bradshaw now knows what Mark Twain meant when he said "reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

Rumors that Bradshaw, a Shreveport native, had died of a heart attack swept through the area Thursday.

They were wrong. KTBS talked to a friend of Bradshaw's family Thursday afternoon. He said Bradshaw was on vacation in Mexico and has talked to his parents in Shreveport and told them he is OK.

Bradshaw won four Super Bowls in a Hall of Fame career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He's now a pro football analyst for Fox Sports.

One theory as to how the rumor got started was that a local radio station reported a wreck on the Terry Bradshaw Passway -- part of the Inner Loop -- and that was misunderstood to say Bradshaw had passed away.
Click to expand...
PFT meanwhile had the story up 7 minutes before they posted a followup:
POSTED 3:13 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY BRADSHAW DEAD?

We're picking up some unconfirmed reports from diverse sources that Hall of Fame quarterback Terry Bradshaw died in a car accident on Thursday.

We don't know whether it's true, and if it is true the world would suddenly be a far less enjoyable place. If anyone knows about this, please drop us a line.

And Terry, if you're out there, let us know you're okay.
Click to expand...
POSTED 3:20 p.m. EST; UPDATED 4:41 p.m. EST, January 25, 2007

TERRY IS FINE

Whew.

One of our industry sources tells us that the rumors of Terry Bradshaw's demise are not true. He is alive and well and on vacation.

We're not sure how the rumor got started, but it has been running rampant today. Apparently, the FOX public relations department had been inundated with calls regarding Bradhaw's status, even before we posted our first item regarding the rumor.
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:lmao:
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Those news sites didn't report the rumor. They reported the falseness of the rumor. :bad posting:

 
Folks, don't you have something better to complain about?

* They are a site devoted to divulging rumors and "talk" going on regarding the NFL.

* As such, they do not pose as journalists--merely messengers of what they're hearing.

* And, what they were hearing FROM PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS was that TB might be dead.

* They posted this information (qualified both with a question mark and verbiage that it was unconfirmed)

* They did not report it as "news" as "fact" as "truth"

* And, when it was confirmed that those actual news stations messed up, they clarified what happened.

I support what PFT does because I know what they are, and more importantly, they know what they are. They aren't posing as ESPN or CNN to deliver news events. They perform, in my mind anyway, a valuable service for those of us wanting to know what the talk is around the league. And, there's absolutely incontrovertible evidence that, indeed, the talk going on in major media circles was that TB might be dead. I appreciate that PFT is a good central source to find this stuff and take it for what it's worth.

I don't see the problem here.

Now, those supposed "news" stations that ran with the story...now, that's a totally different situation, given their supposed role as journalists and the expectations I have of them, as opposed to folks who work in the rumor mills.

PFT covered their butts, and I have no problem with how this information was disseminated.

 
cobalt_27 said:
I support what PFT does because I know what they are, and more importantly, they know what they are. They aren't posing as ESPN or CNN to deliver news events. They perform, in my mind anyway, a valuable service for those of us wanting to know what the talk is around the league. And, there's absolutely incontrovertible evidence that, indeed, the talk going on in major media circles was that TB might be dead. I appreciate that PFT is a good central source to find this stuff and take it for what it's worth.
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That is the point I think a lot of people disagree with you on. In things like their complaints about not getting credit for "breaking" a story, I think a lot of people think they act like they deserve the consideration a real news organization should get, without living up to the journalistic integrity that is a part of that.If they want credit for breaking stories before media outlets, then they should be out there verifying their stories with multiple sources like those media outlets are before they run the story. They can't have it both ways.

 
cobalt_27 said:
* And, what they were hearing FROM PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS was that TB might be dead.

Now, those supposed "news" stations that ran with the story...now, that's a totally different situation, given their supposed role as journalists and the expectations I have of them, as opposed to folks who work in the rumor mills.
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Who are you talking about? What journalist reported this?
 
massraider said:
cobalt_27 said:
* And, what they were hearing FROM PROFESSIONAL JOURNALISTS was that TB might be dead.

Now, those supposed "news" stations that ran with the story...now, that's a totally different situation, given their supposed role as journalists and the expectations I have of them, as opposed to folks who work in the rumor mills.
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Who are you talking about? What journalist reported this?
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Apologies. Misunderstood the context of the news reports that came out after confirmation of the screwup. Thought those were reports BY THE MEDIA OUTLETS that he had died. I get it know that they were simply reporting that there had been concerns circulating around the area (by whom, I'm still unclear) that TB had "passed away."Nevertheless, it's quite obvious that the story was making the rounds before PFT got wind of it. They're a consolidation source for what the talk is, and I think they made it amply clear, anyway, that they were picking up "unconfirmed reports" and stated that they didn't know if it was "true or untrue."

I value what they do and make the appropriate corrections to the stories when warranted. Again, I don't put as much stock in their "reporting" as I would, say, John Clayton or Peter King or Sal Paolantonio (or whomever is hired as a "journalist"). But, they do provide scoops (and context) to stories would you wouldn't otherwise get from the pros.

Still got no problem with how this all unfolded.

 
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GregR said:
cobalt_27 said:
I support what PFT does because I know what they are, and more importantly, they know what they are. They aren't posing as ESPN or CNN to deliver news events. They perform, in my mind anyway, a valuable service for those of us wanting to know what the talk is around the league. And, there's absolutely incontrovertible evidence that, indeed, the talk going on in major media circles was that TB might be dead. I appreciate that PFT is a good central source to find this stuff and take it for what it's worth.
Click to expand...
That is the point I think a lot of people disagree with you on. In things like their complaints about not getting credit for "breaking" a story, I think a lot of people think they act like they deserve the consideration a real news organization should get, without living up to the journalistic integrity that is a part of that.If they want credit for breaking stories before media outlets, then they should be out there verifying their stories with multiple sources like those media outlets are before they run the story. They can't have it both ways.
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Well, I agree with you in large part here. They don't play the same game as the big kids on the block and should, thus, not be so concerned with what credit they're getting or not. And, I really hope they don't stiffen up in the way that ESPN and NFLN and others who do work that's credible to the point of near-100% accuracy just by the nature of confirmed reporting standards. But, we've got that. What I like is the free-spirited approach that PFT brings that adds a different dimension. And, they may have successful hit rates far below ESPN and others, but they do bring to life information that you wouldn't get from those folks.Anyone who's taking statistics understands this and the different approaches to limiting Type I and II errors. Reputable news organizations really help eliminate Type I errors, but are guilty often times of committing Type II errors. Just the reverse for PFT. But, on balance, having the two approaches is great for fans, imo.

 
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