Journalism Redefined

As “Tiger Woods Seriously Injured in Car Crash,” headlined for various reputable sources on November 27 2009, fans immediately updated their twitter feeds, praying for the legendary golfer’s life. Thankfully, Woods had been involved in only a minor car accident where he had been travelling under 30mph outside his suburban home. He had been treated for his unconsciousness and cuts on his face. By 5:00p.m that same evening, TMZ started their investigation. One hour later, reliable evening new stations and print media outlets were reporting that Wood’s wife Elin Nordegren, told investigators that she had heard the crash and rushed to her husband’s aid. Nordegren claimed that she smashed a golf club through the back window so that he could crawl out. Here is when it gets interesting…
Just ten minutes later, Florida law enforcement officials had reportedly told TMZ that the married couple admitted to having a domestic dispute shortly before the accident. As I was reading an article by a New York Golf Examiner, questions that were raised had me really thinking. “How could Woods have been injured so that he was unconscious in a car that was travelling under 30mph? Could a ‘minor car crash’ have caused Woods to get so stuck inside the car that the only way to safety was through the back window?”
Bloggers have been wondering if there is a connection between the domestic dispute and Wood’s alleged affair with Rachel Uchitel. Reportedly, “TMZ.com was the first to state that Nordegren, contrary to earlier reports, had used the golf club to smash the moving vehicle while in a rage, causing Woods to become disoriented enough to crash the car.” TMZ also stated that through the couple’s domestic dispute, Nordegren was the cause of Wood’s facial wounds.
If anyone is reading this, you may be wondering why I am blogging about Tiger Woods when I should about MJ. Well… it all has to do with sources.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1yQ_QAwWzQ

TMZ.com was once a disregarded source on behalf of its bad reputation, but ever since they were the first to report Michael Jackson’s death, their readership has increased and TMZ has been slowly identified as a credible news source. I really liked this quote in the article, “We live in an era where the ethical news sources of yesteryear are now being forced to report rumours in order to keep up with the seemingly less ethical news sources of today, such as gossip sites and blogs. Clearly, the code of ethics in journalism is under rapid assault.”
And this I find absolutely true. I find myself not knowing who to turn to for objective information. The big media players are serving everyone’s interests except mine. The advertisers, government officials, and popular tabloids have a monopoly on what is deemed as newsworthy. The public is then spoon-fed the news through acts of gatekeeping by these big media corporations. Essentially, what matters the most… the truth… is being picked apart. But people are blindsided by this and cannot see past the authoritative ways of the mainstream media. We need to become more knowledgeable, realize what is happening, and do something about it.

http://www.examiner.com/x-28305-NY-Golf-Examiner~y2009m11d28-Tiger-Woods-Car-Crash-Domestic-Dispute--Infidelity-Allegations-Linked-As-Saga-Unfolds