Sunday, January 25, 2009

Mystery: why did the story about the dramatic video from US Airways flight 1549 disappear from the N&O web site? (updated)

Yesterday John in Carolina noted a story posted on the N&O's web site about a dramatic new video of landing of US Airways Flight 1549. The N&O piece was striking because the N&O didn't embed the dramatic video or link to it -- another example of print media not understanding how to present news on the Internet. My post on the story is here.

Get this -- the N&O story has completely disappeared from the N&O web site. 404'd. It's not uncommon for an article that is several months old to get 404'd, but this N&O piece was posted Friday. Extra strange, because there were at least 4 reader comments posted on the article, including this one:

…[K]inda strange to read an article about a tape of this event without the tape being linked or embedded in the article. Sorta like being served t-bone steak with no meat on the bone…

Fortunately, the page was cached; you can see it here.

What gives? Maybe there is an innocent explanation. Or, did somebody at the N&O read John in Carolina's blog post, panic, then delete the story? I'd sure like to hear the N&O explain.

UPDATE: In comments a pathetic explanation: "wire stories load automatically, then disappear; it's not a conspiracy." Without meaning to, this commenter just admitted the N&O is lame.
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36 comments:

Anonymous said...

It was a wire story that loaded automatically. If the AP or McClatchy D.C. didn't put the link in the text, it wouldn't be there.

Most old wire stories fall off pretty quickly. I can pretty much guarantee that no one was panicking because of this. There are plenty of more important things to panic about.

This is straining at a gnat.

Strangely, my verification word is "hyster," as in hysteria.

Anonymous said...

"It was a wire story that loaded automatically. If the AP or McClatchy D.C. didn't put the link in the text, it wouldn't be there."

They aren't going to last long as a news source if they don't link. The internet is not the old media of hit and run reporting. There are plenty of places that do backup their reporting with links.
Buh-bye dinosaurs.

Anonymous said...

Wow!!!! Dude!!!! Talking conspiracy.....

Anonymous said...

The AP will die with the newspapers, only the old out-of-step fogies don’t know that yet. Besides, who believes the AP anymore? Who cares where they link?

Anonymous said...

I am interested in seeing whether McClatchy Watch will be apologizing to Valerie Aguirre and Rob Roberts for the previous iteration of this post.

That post, which says they were fired from The N&O, calls into question their professional reputations, which is defamation. (Not libel, of course, a much higher standard of proof that requires actual malice. Of course, one could certainly make a case ...)

Nonetheless, here we have a blogger who has defamed two people by publishing to the world the fiction that they were fired, apparently without making any attempt to reach them or verify that information.

No attempt to reach them. No attempt to verify incorrect information. A public smear of their professional reputations accessible to anyone with a computer.

This is why amateurs with axes to grind cannot replace professional newsgathering.

Anonymous said...

Wire stories loading automatically, then disappearing after a day or two?

That is no way to run an internet news site, Ma'am.

Anonymous said...

Most newspaper web sites include an automatic, unedited feed from AP and sometimes Reuters. Nothing unusual there. No mystery.

Anonymous said...

McClatchy and the AP. A match made in_______, or as Howard would say,F______,______.

The new fill-in-the-blank journalism in action.

Anonymous said...

This is why amateurs with axes to grind cannot replace professional newsgathering.

Like McClatchy in Alaska? Why don't we discuss Gov. Palin not being the mother of her baby?

Stop it please, you're making me laugh too much.

Anonymous said...

"Most newspaper web sites include an automatic, unedited feed from AP and sometimes Reuters. Nothing unusual there. No mystery."

If I see AP or Reuters, I don't bother to even read the article. No news from them is good news. Old, old, oldies.

Anonymous said...

"Wow!!!! Dude!!!! Talking conspiracy....."


No, Dude, the mysteria of pulling a story is a question, hiding obama's birth certificate is a conspiracy."

Anonymous said...

AP and Reuters are both circling the drain.

Anonymous said...

Maybe if you are manufacturing the news, or straining it a gnat,
you don't want it to last long. Someone might check it out, or something.

Anonymous said...

The AP laid off a bunch of employees, didn’t they? I guess their old media junk, is just that, JUNK!!!!

Anonymous said...

Who is going to believe an unverified wire news story without backup? That could be why some of the questionable Gaza stories were allowed to go forth as the truth of the situation. Now it all becomes clear.
Man, this stinks worse than I even thought.

Anonymous said...

"It was a wire story that loaded automatically. If the AP or McClatchy D.C. didn't put the link in the text, it wouldn't be there."

(Something like wearing gloves so there are no fingerprints?)

Anonymous said...

McClatchy Watch said...
Wire stories loading automatically, then disappearing after a day or two?

That is no way to run an internet news site, Ma'am.


First of all Kevin, the wire story said that the video was 47 minutes long.

Can't imagine any newspaper website posting a video that long.

Secondly, if you're such an expert at how to run a newspaper or website, why hasn't someone snatched you up and hired you?

Wait...I already know the answer! You're an idiot!

By the way...here's your video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fwIe-e7Apkc

Anonymous said...

Anonymous 4:45 -- I'm going to leave your comment up a shining example of the kind of geniuses who are running newspapers into the ground. Annoying snarky tone, shrill personal attacks -- and you guys still can't understand why readers are fleeing print media.

By the way, I posted on my blog here a clip of the dramatic video. So right there I gave my readers far more than the J-school grads at the N&O gave their readers.

Anonymous said...

A blog like this, on a frisky day, puts up maybe six posts. A newspaper puts out hundreds -- literally -- of stories every day. Some are web-only, some posted automatically, some in the physical paper. And this one didn't have a link. It would have been better to include the link, but I'm failing to muster shock and outrage at this omission.

And no, sigh, the AP hasn't laid off anyone. They are in a hiring freeze like everyone else. A simple enough fact to verify, but, as we have seen, no fact is too simple to go unverified here.

The experience of reading this blog is increasingly like sniffing someone else's fingers after they have a bowel movement.

Anonymous said...

I am sure our classically trained professional journalist with the highest ethical standards that is fully in touch with his inner 13 year old has a bright future as a writer.

1 bg mac
1 lg fr
1 ch shk
to go

Kevin Gregory said...

Anonymous 6:14, j-school grad and elite media aficionado, continues to amaze.

His words: "... And no, sigh, the AP hasn't laid off anyone. They are in a hiring freeze like everyone else. A simple enough fact to verify, but, as we have seen, no fact is too simple to go unverified here. The experience of reading this blog is increasingly like sniffing someone else's fingers after they have a bowel movement..."

Big surprise: this Defender of Dead Tree Media knows more about sniffing other people's fingers than he does about AP layoffs.

source: Associated Press to cut 10 pct jobs in '09 (Reuters)
Associated Press facing layoffs in 2009 (Cover Awards)

Anonymous said...

Just what we need, a snark explaining things. Why not a link to a short clip, and another link to the entire video? The first mistake was using the AP, who believes a thing they print? McClatchy D.C. is even worse yet.

Anonymous said...

News for the dinosaur snark:
You need to get out more. You call it a wage freeze? Be sure and tell the folks laid off that little bit of news.

From gawker.com - AP to lose 10%

We're hearing from a good source that Tom Curley, the head of the Associated Press, just held a town hall meeting to tell employees that the AP "will lose 10% of its staff next year." At a current headcount of over 4,000 employees, that would translate to at least 400 jobs lost, which could theoretically come through either layoffs or voluntary buyouts. Several cash-strapped newspapers—including the entire Tribune Co.—have recently announced plans to [drop their AP subscriptions.]

Anonymous said...

Tom Curley of the AP sounds just like Gary Pruitt, the sky is blue, the sun is shining, the birds are singing…

Say goodnight Gracie

Anonymous said...

"A newspaper puts out hundreds -- literally -- of stories every day."

And isn't it sad no one is reading them? Trash bins full of newspapers still in the un-eco wrappers. There ought to be a law against that.

Anonymous said...

Reading this blog’s comments easily points out why the old media is dying. The so-called journalists that write here are snarky, and must live in some sort of biased vacuum. Please stay inside there with your brothers, but watch out for the man with his stinky fingers. Ewww.

Anonymous said...

My community does have a law against newspaper drops. They were just dumping them, and even free, no one wanted them.

Anonymous said...

Anon said: " like sniffing someone else's fingers after they have a bowel movement..."


Who the hell does that? Is that a liberal's form of recreation? Man, that dude is a sick-o!

Anonymous said...

If I worked at the AP, I would be looking for another job right this minute. Going, going, gone!

Anonymous said...

Anon says: 'Can't imagine any newspaper website posting a video that long."

Isn't that what links are all about? The N&O needs a training session. Or, a little talk with their employees in India.

Anonymous said...

Anon said: " like sniffing someone else's fingers after they have a bowel movement..."


Even though this guy is on the wrong side of the conversation, I must admit, with his "help" this is one of the more livelier threads.

Anonymous said...

Damn! A Toadie comes out of the woodwork and I am away! Itsnotfair I tell you.

It's all good though. I was in Ft Lauderdale accepting delivery of our new yacht, appropriately named, " McClatchy's Bottom Line"

After a good coat of Interlux anti fouling and slime preventer we'll be making our way to San Francisco for the torture test. (We get a discount for testing in foul waters)

Anyway, thanks McClatchy!

Anonymous said...

Snark says:
“Secondly, if you're such an expert at how to run a newspaper or website, why hasn't someone snatched you up and hired you?”

Who do you think you are to come here and ask the blog owner such a question? Get over yourself. He owes a creep like you nothing. You waste our space. There are plenty of McClatchy employees that have been totally screwed over. They come here, and not only agree with the information, but add to the discussion.

Anonymous said...

No matter how the AP tries, they are no longer a trusted news source. Of course, don't expect them to tell the truth about their bias killing them off. It's just that their biased news is too expensive.

It's the '06 election results driving the bad economy, is that just a rumor?

Anonymous said...

AP content lives two weeks on MNI sites and then is automatically purged unless it's otherwise been editorially removed. AP is a wire service that has contracts with many media companies, not just McClatchy.

Also, why the hell would anyone bother with anything but local news on their local news site? Wire feed content seems to me to be filler for selling more ads. There are far superior sources for national/international/etc news.

Anonymous said...

AP is a wire service that has contracts with many media companies, not just McClatchy.
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The AP is a Cartel, owned, lock, stock and barrel by the 1500 or so members. It's point and purpose was to eliminate competition in the newspaper industry and used with great success to that end.