so at the moment, I’m at a coffeehouse in Buckhannnon, West Virginia, borrowing my photog’s laptop. Operating on about five hours sleep over the last two days… spent Monday night sleeping in our rented SUV, then last night got to bed at 6:45 a.m. … woke up at 10 a.m. Headed to room at motel-hotel ($45/night!) in a bit to go crash. I might be down here for several more days.
And yeah, like the rest of the media (NYT, USAToday, CNN, Fox, BaltSun, etc. etc.) we got the story wrong. Our paper yesterday actually had three different covers … the last one was right but I don’t know how many people saw that one. I’ll explore this at a later date when I have more sleep, but basically … if you saw the video of everyone celebrating, you pretty much know the story. I guess I’ll just say, the media is part of the community, and if the entire community has the story wrong, so will we. I did learn a few lessons.
G’night.
Yeah that was pretty horrible.
Hope you are doing okay.
Happy New Year.
Hey Derek,
It’s incredible that you were at the mine as the whole story unfolded. When you get home and things settle down, I’d love to hear your take on what happened. I’m a fellow reporter and know this event will stick with me even though I wasn’t there.
Only 160,000 papers went out with them alive. For the most part WE GOT THE STORY RIGHT …
Most of our run has what’s on the website.
So don’t kick us on your blog…
We don’t want your three readers badmouthing us.
The Gang
I don’t think you guys at the News should feel defensive about what happened. You reported what you thought was the truth based on what the authorities had informed you. What more could the media have done, short of crawling into the mine themselves to find out what the hell was going on. Sometimes you gotta have faith in your sources and if they mess up, it’s their problem.
Anyway, I saw you on CNN, Derek!
read this in the nytimes. we actually pulled papers off the street so it was less than 160,000
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/05/national/05media.html
A tragedy in every sense of the word. Look forward to hearing your thoughts on this when you get a chance to write again.
I agree with Phil. I’m looking forward to hearing about it when you get back. Take care.
I’m with everyone else, I can’t wait to hear all about it once you decompress. I can’t imagine what it was like to be down there. I don’t think many people “blame” the papers for running the wrong headlines. It’s pretty obvious that under the circumstances it was unavoidable.
i just wanted to take a moment and
write that 1. first of all, i’m proud and psyched and
proud of the hard work you are doing at the scene
there, and really, i am, very proud and admire your
being there, and bravo.
and secondly, just a woman-on-the street perspective
from me in nyc, everywhere i went the daily news had
it right, and the new york post had it wrong, and I
had been intending to write to you anyway to
congratulate you guys, even before i saw from your
blog that you were down there. anyway, i never saw a
wrong daily news at all, in East Village, Williamsburg
and Greenpint they were all spot on.
but anyway, i hope you do get to get some shut-eye.
and that if you are learning a few lessons, bravo!
it’s good to learn stuff.
again, go get em tiger, and
get some sleep.
many many many good wishes,
xo,
Alexis
To the guys at work:
I don’t think he was kicking you at all. He was just saying what happened. And then noting that that’s what happens when official sources disseminate wrong information.
Seemed like a pretty straightforward summary to me.
Anyway, Derek, too bad you had to sleep in an SUV.
Your story on the Web site was fantastic. It was such a tragedy.
Not sure any of the media could have done things differently. Everyone’s beholden to the deadlines and you go with what you have. Were there lessons? Would be interested to hear. I think the only one I could take as a reader is to check the Web edition for updates for the latest news. Print is too slow.
It really was a great story. You had quotes from the family members while the AP story that ran on Yahoo News didn’t.
Kate
I thought the story was fantastic too. That is so sad about the notes.