Major boo boo on KITV?

[Kimo]

KITV's ten o'clock news last night led with the death of Larry Mehau - quite a long story with file video clips that said he collapsed Wednesday and now had died. When I saw the story I started channel-surfing and no one else had the story. Thought KITV had a big scoop. Oooops.

Advertiser publishes this shortly after midnight:

http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/ar...369451280.html

[pzarquon]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

That's hilarious. I wonder what Mehau thought? Very few people get to watch their own obituary tributes!

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

That's hilarious. I wonder what Mehau thought?

Probably of Mark Twain.

[D'Alani]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

I ran into a fellow retiree at the credit union last Friday and he showed me a letter he received from them saying that he was deceased. He was there to be certain that his account was still intact and to prove to them that he is definitely alive and kicking.

[Kimo]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

Sure would love to be a fly on the wall in the KITV newsroom meeting this morning.

[oceanpacific]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

I caught the last part of the Mehau story on KITV, then switched to the other news stations ................. not a word on this "scoop." I thought that was strange.

This is a major gaffe.

When it finally comes to pass, the news story will recount KITV's "premature" announcement. What is that quote? ACCOUNTS OF MY DEMISE ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED ........ or words to that effect.

[Leo Lakio]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

What is that quote? ACCOUNTS OF MY DEMISE ARE GREATLY EXAGGERATED ........ or words to that effect.

That's the Mark Twain reference I made: "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

[kiwidiva]

KITV erroneous reporting...

So, who was it at KITV that announced that Larry Mehau was dead - without checking the facts? I know it's not the anchor's fault - they just read what the producer puts on the teleprompter but surely heads will roll for that bungle!

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

What I'd like to know about this and also if I imagined this (thought it was strange the other stations didnt carry his obit too) is that there was a soundbyte from someone along with videoclips of Mehau. The current soundbytes I was under the impression that they said he had died. Something to the effect "he was a great guy, we're going to miss him, blah blah") I don't know who it was that was talking a relative or what??

Anyone hear this part of the news segment, they are lucky it was on a Sunday 10pn newscast, Jill Kuromoto was the anchor for the report.

Aj

[Media Guy]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

Video Obits for high profile people are usually prepackaged so they can be rolled out on a moments notice.
To get a current soundbyte, a reporter usually goes out and asks for reactions to the report that so-and-so has passed on.
The interview subject is relying on the reporter having factual information.

[Kalihiboy]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

No offense to Mehau but do you think it would have made all of the stations top story had he really passed? He has been sort of out of the spotlight for over a decade. I know they have obit packages set up for older celebs or political figures (Dan Akaka, Jimmy Carter, etc.) and such, but Meahu? Perhaps KITV decided to run it as their top story thinking they either had a major scoop or guessing that the other stations would not run this footage.

Aj

[Media Guy]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

I think they thought they had a scoop.

[Media Guy]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

Under the headline "Breaking News", KITV News Anchor Jill Kuramoto announced as its lead off story that Mehau was dead. Reporters interviewed by phone a person named "Kealoha Mehau" who said that the family is trying to cope with the news.


http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story....4-b561e5cf8b44

A good lesson for young journalists on the importance fact checking and multiple source confirmation!

[Kimo]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

Would like to see Honolulu Media Council and/or SPJ do an investigation or fact-finding in this case. Could be a teaching tool for J school.

[Random]

Re: Major boo boo on KITV?

No offense to Mehau but do you think it would have made all of the stations top story had he really passed? He has been sort of out of the spotlight for over a decade. I know they have obit packages set up for older celebs or political figures (Dan Akaka, Jimmy Carter, etc.) and such, but Meahu?

Larry Mehau is our local version of Jimmy Hoffa. Some of us were around when he clashed with state senator Dan Reed.