“Season of false starts for news organizations - Oakland Press” plus 4 more

Season of false starts for news organizations - Oakland Press
MCT News Service - Allentown Morning Call
Dance in Review - New York Times
Britney Tranforms Her Man From Geek To Chic! - X17 Online
Make My Day - American Reporter

Season of false starts for news organizations - Oakland Press

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 11:23 PM PDT

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Television Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — A balloon racing across the Colorado sky without a 6-year-old boy inside. A major lobbyist not changing its position on climate change. A shootout with terrorists on the Potomac River that never happened

It's been a rough season for non-news.

The recent spate of hoaxes and premature stories exposes a dangerous fault line for journalists in the world of second-by-second news.

Each situation was unique. But they all diminished the credibility of news organizations at a time when the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press has reported that 63 percent of Americans believe news stories are often inaccurate — the worst report card it has ever seen.

"Speed is always a threat to accuracy, and the faster we can go the more jeopardy the truth is in," said Deborah Potter, a former CBS News reporter and executive director of the News Lab think tank.

The balloon boy story riveted cable news viewers a week ago. A flying saucerlike balloon had escaped from its tethers and Richard Heene reported to authorities he believed his son Falcon was aboard. CNN, Fox News Channel and MSNBC all turned to the story to the exclusion of virtually all others.

Even in retrospect, it's hard to argue against that judgment. It was an unusual story, with gripping visuals, of a young boy's life in danger. Later investigators alleged it was a hoax perpetrated by a publicity-hungry father.

What the story missed at the time was a bigger dose of skepticism and caution — more emphasis on the uncertainty of the report and curiosity about how a boy could actually fly in the structure.

In live broadcasts, anchors need to take care in emphasizing what is not known, said Frank Sesno, a former CNN Washington bureau chief now professor at George Mason University.

"We're not doing it enough," he said, "because it's too easy to seize on something that appears to be happening before our eyes and run with it."

Perhaps tinged by disgust at the hoax itself, the media has suffered a backlash among people who believe too much time was spent on the story, said Mark Jurkowitz, associate director of Pew's Project for Excellence in Journalism.

A few days later in Washington, an official-looking press release from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce last week announced that the organization had reversed its position on climate change legislation.

Not so. It was an elaborate scam put on by nearly 20 members of the liberal activist group Yes Men, who were looking to draw attention to a policy stance with which it disagreed. Reuters moved a story based on the false press release, and both CNBC and Fox Business Network reported it — with the anchors correcting themselves mid-story upon learning it was false.

In all the cases, a desire to push the story out fast took priority over a phone call to double-check.

"This is an example of how when you get too careless and don't really do your homework, there's a price to pay," said Eric Wohlschlegel, communications chief for the Chamber of Commerce, who broke into the Yes Men's fake news conference to announce it was a hoax.

Mike Bonanno, a member of the Yes Men, said the group had achieved its goal of spotlighting the policy. A day after its antics, a paper manufacturer in upstate New York resigned its membership in the chamber over the policy.

The frightening message: Hoaxes work.

Social media seems to be increasing the opportunity for mischief. False reports that Britney Spears, George Clooney, Jeff Goldblum and Natalie Portman had died spread on Twitter and Facebook in recent months, compelling major news organizations to check them out. The latest unfounded death rumor, only this month, concerned Kanye West. There's even a Web site devoted to creating fake news stories about celebrities.

It wasn't a hoax, but CNN created a stir on the emotionally fraught Sept. 11 anniversary by reporting that the U.S. Coast Guard had fired shots on a suspicious vessel in the Potomac. Reuters picked up the story, and Fox News Channel quickly jumped on it. It turned out CNN had mistaken a training exercise for the real thing.

Fox anchors talked about the report for several minutes even with an important clue staring them in the face — a live picture of the Potomac scene with cars streaming across a bridge. If there really had been a terrorist episode, wouldn't authorities stop traffic?

In the pre-Internet and pre-cable news days, journalists would have time to suss out the accuracy of a report, Jurkowitz said. Even with a current atmosphere where "beats" are often measured by the second, there's plenty of evidence that consumers care more about getting the latest information, and getting it right.

Good luck. "This is the immovable object meets the unstoppable force," Sesno said.

Nowhere was the new landscape more vividly illustrated than this month when Nick Denton, chief of the irreverent Web site Gawker.com, issued a memo scolding his staff for a few cases "where we've thought WAY too much before publishing" a story.

Get something out fast with what we know, Denton wrote. We can always update.

"At some media organizations, you might get rapped for running a premature story," he wrote. "At Gawker Media, you'll lose way more points for being scooped on a story you had in your hands."

———

On the Net:

http://people-press.org/

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MCT News Service - Allentown Morning Call

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 11:23 PM PDT

Dance in Review - New York Times

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 09:50 PM PDT

CLANCYWORKS

Dance Company

Joyce SoHo

Adrienne Clancy is the sort of choreographer who takes the idea of partnering to heart, as demonstrated in a program at the Joyce SoHo over the weekend. In the first three of four pieces performed by ClancyWorks, her Maryland modern-dance company, Ms. Clancy focused on relationships: between two soldiers in "Noise" and two identically dressed women in "When I Needed You Most, Where Were You?"; and, more abstractly, between actual and potential selves in "Light Armor."

None hit the mark. With conventional partnering and murky lighting, the works were underwhelming, both theatrically and choreographically. (Perhaps Ms. Clancy, who danced in all three, needs more distance.) In the final and most ambitious work, "On Taking Steps to Climbing Mountains," Ms. Clancy paired five dancers with five ladders of graduating sizes. Here, the performers straddled, stretched on and dangled from the props, which took on the appearance, at times, of dancing partners. Turned upside-down or on their sides, the ladders helped the dancers establish different ways of exploring inner and outer strength.

The predictability of it made Ms. Clancy's trek something of an uphill battle. But unlike the other works, with droning, electronic scores, "On Taking Steps to Climbing Mountains" was set to live music by the drummer Zak Fusciello and the singer Leah Smith. (She also did musical interludes between dances.) With her angelic voice, dreadlocks down her back and copious tattoos, she quickly became the most compelling presence in the room. GIA KOURLAS

DANCE GANG

and Neal Medlyn

Dance Theater Workshop

Neal Medlyn is a funny, earnest guy with a penchant for inhabiting the pop star personas of larger-than-life celebrities like Prince and Beyoncé. This could easily turn into shtick; the dangers of such a comfortable and limited artistic trajectory have been evident in his past shows.

But so has the suggestion of a wilder, grander grappling with American culture. And this, happily, is the direction Mr. Medlyn went with "... Her's a Queen" last week at Dance Theater Workshop. His quarry here is Britney Spears and his show, fittingly, is something of a train wreck.

Aggressive and unsteady, it uses Ms. Spears's slick-surfaced songs and desperate vulnerability as the vehicles for an existential meditation on the confused longings and spiritual emptiness lurking beneath so much of our dazzlingly vacuous public discourse.

Like any self-respecting false idol, Mr. Medlyn has a false opening act: Dance Gang, a k a Kennis Hawkins and Will Rawls, in "Dog Breaks," a marvelously moody work that suggests this duo is also moving into stranger waters. Their (sometimes naked) bodies festooned with beautiful ink drawings by Tony Orrico, Ms. Hawkins and Mr. Rawls, calling themselves the Lead Singers, radiated a sulky adolescent energy as they sang pop songs, barked sound and lighting cues and offered tantalizing eruptions of striking, formalist choreography.

Chloë Z. Brown's lighting and Jonathan Melville Pratt's sound design created a lush environment, as Ms. Hawkins and Mr. Rawls created and then subverted a disorienting cult of self. Their efforts ended with recited self-improvement truisms, and the stage was set for Mr. Medlyn.

And what a stage: flanked by four rows of chairs for intrepid audience members, it was a scruffy temple of the id, featuring a red wrestling mat, sound equipment used by the mysteriously occupied Farris Craddock and a screen showing surprisingly beautiful candids of Mr. Medlyn. Taken during the show by Carmine Covelli, the photographs captured him in various states of disarray, as he and Mr. Covelli tussled verbally and physically. His identity continually shifting, Mr. Covelli served as an enigmatic, sometimes bullying foil for Mr. Medlyn's helpless rages.

During and in between these rages he belted out Spears songs, wailed about his desire for purity, enacted awkwardly ritualistic dances and presided over a cuddle party. Glittery and bleak, he pressed on, a fallen innocent staked to the spotlight's unforgiving glare. CLAUDIA LA ROCCO

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Britney Tranforms Her Man From Geek To Chic! - X17 Online

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 10:11 PM PDT

« Ashley And Her Giant Boyfriend Ride Their Bikes | Main

Although Britney's agent/boyfriend Jason Trawick may have had a hand in transforming the pop star's life over the past few years, Britney has repaid the favor by taking her guy from geek to geek chic!

Jason didn't look like anything special when we first told you these two were an item back in '06.

When things really started to get hot n' heavy between the two, in May of 2008, Jason was looking a little heavy himself, with hair that was looking a little more salt than pepper.

Cut to a year later, and Britney's boy had already lost the weight in May, but started to look even better when Brit encouraged him to wash that gray right out of his hair in June!

And the transformation was complete this weekend, when, on a romantic date at Little Door, Jason looked cool and confident. Sure, he could retire the v-neck tee, but he's finally looking worthy of a rock star like Britney!

Click through the gallery to check out Jason's evolution!

He's totes adorable -- now!

> PR Campaign For Britney/Jason Marriage Intensifies - Oct 25, 2009
> X17 XCLUSIVE - Britney And Jason's Date Night! - Oct 24, 2009
> Another Day At The Movies For Britney And The Boys! - Oct 22, 2009
> X17 XCLUSIVE - Brit's A Wild Thing! - Oct 22, 2009
> X17 XCLUSIVE - BRITNEY VISITED BY DOCTOR, PLOTTING TO END CONSERVATORSHIP! - Oct 21, 2009

Click on the photos to see the gallery: Britney Takes Jason From Flab To Fab!

Posted by X17online on October 26, 2009 5:00 PM | Permalink

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I doubt it has anything to do with the cow known as Shitney. She can't even figure out how to use the handles on a shower, or how to keep her hair clean!

edan prettier

edan prettier
and gay

Britney always looks like a dirty slob I'm surprised any man would even touch her knowing her history!

Britney looks good. Her history is nothing bad. Sure she had a few car accidents and shaved her head. But that's in the past. Some people like to dwell on that but others who are more in tune and sharp, look ahead.

Somebody needs to save this guy from making a massive mistake. There's no way Britney isn't still crazy and she looks like a bleach blond Tranny.

He looks more and more Brat Pitt style.

It's a shame she didn't marry Jason T. instead of Kevin F.

He looks just like Tori Spellings husband Dean now!
Looked better with dark hair.

fantasy girl in a fantasy world. When she is on her own is when the decision should be made. Dont drag this poor man into the custody/conservative crap. Absolutely not fair to him.

6:05 Jason hasn't been living in a cave. He has been a close friend for years. He knows what she looks like, up close and personal. He knows about her problems. IF he's attracted to her and IF she's attracted to him, what possible difference could it make to you (or me) if they are dating or it's something more serious? Really, what?

Brit is the sweetest ever ,i Want her to be happy

6:37

Fat, psycho, tranny's like Britney need to be ostracized by all men. It is our obligation to save our brothers from all of them. This poor bastard has gone Shemale blind. If this isn't a cry for help, I dont know what is.

6:53 do you actually believe what you wrote? You think it's your 'obligation to save your brothers' from women you don't like? You're a misogynist on a mission? Please tell me you're joking.

I think he looked better with clean-cut darker hair, and no facial hair.

Nothing better could happen to her. All you haters, I feel sorry for you. If you track her only to see her meltdowns, then go F* yourself. She is simple, she tends to do wrong all the time, she doesn´t look fab, but at least she is trying. And she is on a good way to become somewhat normal, stable, maybe even responsible. Someone like Jason - look, I think the rest of the people surrounding her are exploiting freaks, incl. her mum and dad. I don´t doubt she couldn´t be luckier having FINALLY someone who has brain, heart, and doesn´t give a shit about media. You can clearly see he wants to protect her, no stupid pretender. I totally trust him more than anyone else who ever appeared around her. Good luck, Britney. You deserve Jason and I am happy you are back on track.

6:53 Here is what I think. You were disappointed she didn't accidentally overdose or commit suicide. You are annoyed her family preempted the big finale you wanted. You love seeing her controlled by a man. Not because she is an ill woman who needs her father's help to learn how to control her own life. You love it because you hope it causes her misery. Her misery brings you happiness. How am I doing so far?

7:11
I dont hate her because she's a woman. Quite the contrary. I want Jason to cast her out for being a fat, psycho, bleach blond Tranny. He needs to find himself a smart/skinny MBA or something instead.

Good lord , you're so toataly wrong as usual , he looked much better before ,
now he looks like a fake bleached skank , kinda like her lol , gross !

run dude runnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn !

WHAT is with her neck on the June 2009 pic? She looks like an old woman!!

Britney need to be ostracized by all men. It is our obligation to save our brothers from all of them.

Those are your words. Do you understand why I asked if you were a misogynist?

7:33

Right on a couple of points. I was hoping for a lifetime in a padded cell. I could care less about her Dad or his control. Something that sends the teens of the country a positive message about the young Hollywood lifestyle. Dont worry, I'm still holding out for Britney and Lohan. Keep your fingers crossed.

7:39 Jason is an educated, adult man. He is capable of making his own decisions without your assistance or mine. IF she makes him happy and IF he makes her happy than good for them.

7:48

Britney is a single woman and not all women. Hating Britney has nothing to do with hating all women. To suggest otherwise is silly. Is there a male star you dislike? Do you hate all men? See my point? Furthermore, my point was directed at the fact she is fat and unstable and not remotely an ideal candidate for any man. I find it funny that woman can call K-fed a dirtbag but I cant do the same of Britney? Your knee-jerk reaction is the real problem here not mine.

Britwick is so hot, both of them look so great lately, she's the slimmest she's been in a while and he's rock solid.
Thin to Win!

Alright. You're disappointed she wasn't permanently institutionalized. Well, I'm not. The conservatorship has been in effect for almost two years. Don't you think it's time to get over your disappointment?

Most teenage fans don't have the depth and breath of experience to understand what happened leading up to the conservatorship. Or what has happened since. Many will understand when they are older with the benefit of hindsight. Do you honestly think tearing into her fans will discourage them from following her dangerous lead? It won't. You're a smart man. Try talking to them.

amazing makeover, Jason looks fabulous , she made him look like a Justin Timberlake

the only reason she's still under the conservatorship still is because she had to be to get insurance for her mega sucessful tour, once she's done with Australia it's over.
she's back on top and has the world at her doorstep again, but did she ever really not? everybody is obsessed with her.

7:59 I wish it was a knee-jerk reaction. It's not. You have done this with other women. There is a huge difference between dislike and hatred. You are very intelligent and funny. But sometimes you seem angry. I'm sorry but it gives me pause. I thought it would be better to talk. Was I wrong?

I'm sorry for the time lag. I'm preoccupied with something else.

8:11 I'm sorry but you're in over your head. Please stay out of this discussion. TIA.

Check out FlirtyGlam.com for the sexiest lingerie and swimwear

Another phoney story by x17. Well, I guess it gets the hits they want, so they make up anything.

This is funny, she expects him to change the way he looks to please her, while she remains a fat, ugly, dirty, greasy slob.
What a joke.

Britney a rock star??? Yea right!

Britney has a thicker neck than her boyfriend.

amazing
lov brit

nice new couple
jaSon and brit!!!!!!!

Thanks 8:40 but I prefer Victoria's Secret.

Tony B is now calling himself jhon. LOL

Apparently, I was wrong. You're not open to a discussion. I'll respect your decision.

fake story for hits. x17 knows they aren't dating. stop publishing bs.

It's crazy how much weight she has lost in the last year or so, she's looking amazing.

They would make a cute couple but are they even dating?

he looks nicer with the dark hair, so happy for brit!

Only when you go through the gallery thats when you realise these two are relly an item. There is no way they can be this close for such a long time without being intimate. BRITNEY & JASON ARE DEFINATELY DATING AND AM HAPPY FOR THEM

IKR!!! JT TOTALLY LOVES & RESPECTS HER!!! HE'S THE ONE!!!

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Make My Day - American Reporter

Posted: 26 Oct 2009 08:38 PM PDT

Make My Day
PARIS FOR PREZ
by Erik Deckers
American Reporter Humor Writer
Indianapolis, Indiana

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Printable version of this story

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- It was the snit heard 'round the world. The snarky, scantily-clad video response that got pundits tongues wagging about something other than politics, at least until their wives saw them. Maybe its echo has faded from the news, but it still makes me wake up screaming in the middle of the night.

Paris Hilton says she's running for President.

The vapid blond heiress and star of "The Simple Life," announced her candidacy in a spoof video on FunnyOrDie.com. Hilton said she was running because that "wrinkly white-haired guy" - John McCain, for those of you emerging from under your rocks - used her image in a television spot against his opponent, presumptive President of the United States, Barack Obama.

"Hey America, I'm Paris Hilton, and I'm a celebrity too," she said without a sense of irony or shame. "Only I'm not from the olden days, and I'm not promising change like that other guy. I'm just hot."

Oh man, this is really bad. I've always been a big supporter of third party candidates, but my one litmus test is whether they can even spell "candidate." And that they haven't starred in an Internet sex video/ I swear, if she wins, I'm moving to Canada with Alec Baldwin, unless he chickens out like he did last time. (Big wussy. The guy swore up and down he would move to Canada if George Bush became President, but we're stuck with him and his 17 brothers.) Still, I don't think she's got a real shot, so I'll probably be here for a while.

"But then that wrinkly white-haired guy used me in his campaign ad, which means I guess I'm running for President," she continued. Yeah, right. By that logic, since her boyfriend used her in that sex video, I guess that would make her a slut. . .

Uh, oh. This is worse than I thought! Do they get the NFL in Canada? Can I get the Dish Network to work up there?

"So thanks for the endorsement, white-haired dude, and I want America to know I'm, like, totally ready to lead."

Oh, good, as long as you're totally ready. I mean, we wouldn't want someone who was , like, only concerned about whether certain other world leaders are, like, hot, or whether the White House clashes with her outfits. She'll probably appoint Extreme Makerover's Ty Pennington the Secretary of the Department of the Interior to make sure.

"I'll see you at the White House," she concluded. "Oh, and I might paint it pink."

Looks like I've got a tough decision to make. Do I go for the big city or the small town? I've been to Toronto, and it's a nice city with a strong arts community. But if I lived in a smaller town, I'd be closer to nature and some really good fishing. Dryden, Ontario is gorgeous in the summer.

But even as I pace the floor and gnaw on my fingernails, I have to admit, her energy policy made some sense.

"We can do limited offshore drilling with strict environmental oversight, while creating tax incentives to get Detroit making hybrid and electric cars. That way, offshore drilling carries us until the new technologies kick in, which will create new jobs and energy independence. Energy crisis solved. I'll see you at the debates, bitches."

But then she, like, totally shot herself in the foot when she said she was considering Rihanna, the R&B artist, as her vice presidential nominee.

Come on! Rihanna?! Are you kidding me? Everyone knows she doesn't have the foreign affairs experience needed to re-establish the U.S. as a world leader. Plus, she was born in Barbados, so she's not a natural-born American citizen, which means she can't take on that role.

While some people would say Britney Spears, Hilton's fellow celeb and John McCain commercial target, is the emotional favorite, I think Cameron Diaz is the better choice. She can shore up the Hispanic vote and improve relations with Latin America. Of course, you'll also need Ashton Kutcher to head up the Department of Homeland Security (Hey Iran, you've been punk'd!). And what do you think of Scarlett Johansen as the Secretary of State... ?

Uh, excuse me. I don't know what came over me. If anything, I'm worrying too much about something that will never happen. Hilton is only 27, eight years too young to run for president, which means I don't have to worry about a global disaster for eight more years. But with her sordid past, I doubt she could even be elected dogcatcher of Putnam County.

Besides, I'm hoping Lindsey Lohan will be out of rehab and ready to run for Senate by 2016.