We Were Print

You want to read the Michael Jackson’s Obituary that’ll run in tomorrow’s newspaper? Check Wikipedia.

Wikipedia: How Newspaper Obituaries are Written

Since learning of the news of Michael Jackson’s dead (from Laine’s Facebook status), I have been monitoring the Michael Jackson Wikipedia edit log. Based on the edit log, it looks as though Wikipedia had the cardiac arrest before it was reported by the Los Angeles Times. Not bad.

Here’s what I find fascinating… half of what you read in newspaper obituaries was written and fact-checked by Wikipedia contributors. Based on previous obituaries, we’ll see how close to correct I am tomorrow. In the meantime, watch the edit log and see if Jackson’s image is being softened or fixed in stone by his death.

“It Must be True: Twitter is Down.”

While trying to confirm Jackson’s death, these words were uttered, “it must be true… Twitter is down.”.

Welcome to the new world of news. Got your own ‘Jackson is dead’ electronic media stories? Tell them below.

(Bonus: Michael Jackson’s Obit as a Limerick.)