Twitter, Facebook prove invaluable as Michael Jackson story exploded in media

Twitter and Facebook have emerged as valuable tools in tracking stories where access is tough; consider the unrest in Iran and terrorist attacks in Bombay as recent examples.

But as news of Michael Jackson's death unfolded Thursday, these online tools offered ways to track the exploding story closer than the continuous coverage offered by cable TV news and more conventional outlets.

The race started when Jackson was taken to the hospital, said to be in cardiac arrest, which is fatal unless treated immediately, but no one had many details on his condition -- at least, until the entertainment Web site TMZ posted an entry at 5:20 p.m. Eastern time stating that Jackson was dead.

It was a declaration the Los Angeles Times wouldn't confirm for nearly an hour, forcing cable TV outlets and news Web sites to cite TMZ's reporting. Accounts that Jackson wasn't even declared dead until 5:26 p.m. leave lots of questions about how TMZ got its info. ("Everything starts with a tip," TMZ managing editor Harvey Levin told the Associated Press Thursday.)

The news raced across the microblogging service Twitter, making subjects such as RIP MJ and #michaeljackson among the most popular topics. A half hour before the Los Angeles Times would confirm Jackson's death, radio personality Ryan Seacrest tweeted "I am hearing from a source at ucla medical center, michael jackson has died. I am checking other sources right now."

Given the visibility of celebrities on Twitter, it makes sense that so many would express their condolences online. Even as cable TV channels scrambled to find big names for their shows, Paris Hilton told her followers on Twitter  "  :( I can't believe Michael is gone." Meghan McCain, daughter of Sen. John McCain, noted "It just feels like the end of an era for so many reasons." And MC Hammer said "I will be mourning my friend, brother, mentor and inspiration."

As a prank rumor began to spread that actor Jeff Goldblum might have died in New Zealand, a tweet from actor Kevin Spacey, who had spoken with Goldblum's manager, knocked that down (even CBS News passed along the message to its followers).

According to the Los Angeles Times, the explosion of interest doubled Twitter's update frequency and tripled Facebook's activity, as friends traded lists of favorite Jackson songs, links to treasured videos and commiserated on the unfolding media circus.

 By the time the big TV networks could offer prime time retrospectives Thursday night, fans with Twitter feeds and Facebook accounts had already seen loads of quotes, lists and video clips, traded and retweeted by a growing community of users who reacted more intensely than when Iran erupted after its recent elections and swine flu spread across the world.

"Already been asked several times if I'm 'disappointed' in Twitter for going much crazier over MJ than Iran election or Swineflu," tweeted Laura Fitton, author of the book Twitter for Dummies. "But see, Twitter's about 'What do we have in common.'  500 million have just Thriller in common, let alone the rest of his life/career."     

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Comments

[Nicole]

Well read this. Do you still think he is a molester now?
http://trashselector.com/evan-chandler-i-lied-for-my-father-im-sorry-michael/

[Artis]

Who Cares? He wasn't that relevant.

[Max]

"Twitter, Facebook prove invaluable as Michael Jackson story exploded in media" NOT! These outlets did nothing more then chat away what TMZ was reporting on, they broke nothing but bandwidth with kids spreading rumors and the latest News reports.

[Cara]

Smplyred - you pick and choose what you want to listen to. Jurors admitted to finding MJ not guilty only because of who he is - not due to evidence. THEY ADMITTED IT!!! Two of the jurors even said they thought he was guilty. You support a child abuser. Feel good about it?

[Cara]

Smplyred - you pick and choose what you want to listen to. Jurors admitted to finding MJ not guilty only because of who he is - not due to evidence. THEY ADMITTED IT!!! Two of the jurors even said they thought he was guilty. You support a child abuser. Feel good about it?

[Gator]

I really don't care any more. You all act like the king of the world died. Get over it people. The man was a child molester. He's dead. Good riddance.

Melody - well said.

[Kenneth]

I like MJ's music, and I'm not some old prude. But even I'm a bit disturbed at the outpouring of sadness for the death of someone who, if he didn't molest children, at least exposed himself to them. The damage he did to these young boys will far outweigh his musical successes in my mind.

[Jack Dean]

Maybe Barrack Nobama can start moonwalking now!

[Jacob]

I've decided to use twitter now that I've found out that its not something "nasty"!

[Jack B.]

I don't care how talented he was musically, he scarred some young boys for life. GOOD RIDDANCE!

[Smplyred]

what's sickening is people who would despite the fact that he was not found guilty BEYOND ANY SHADOW OF DOUBT will come here where people ARE mourning him just to say something negative. Mumble and grumble to yourselves.
MJ was a musical genius. Combine that and his childhood (or lack thereof) and you have what lead to his eccentric lifestyle. He felt safer around children because they weren't so jaded by adulthood.
What he didn't realize was that his ability to revert to being a child himself left him open to the greed of man who would stop at nothing for money even if they had to force their children to lie (like Evan Chandler and Janet Arvizo). Just like people who beat and burn their own children there are those who would make their children lie for the right price.

R.I.P. Michael

[Santa]

I'm becoming concerned that Obama is suffering greatly by playing second fiddle to the MJ news stories. The One is actually number two now...

[Billie Jean]

I can see Michael moonwalking with Allah in the heavens!

[Bil]

One more pedophile gone. No mourning here.

[Santa]

Twitter and other outlets also said that Harrison Ford and Jeff Goldblum were dead too.

So our media choices are, wacko left wing bias or simply crap.

[sue]

Except twitter had to turn off services.

[Melody]

Maybe the media should focus on the men and women dying in Iraq and Afghanistan every single day. I surely don't see any 24 hour news coverage or 20/20 specials for them. It's sick that this country will mourn a pedophile who happened to sing a few good songs, but no one cares anymore about the men and women defending our country.

[the real story]

Remember, in all likelihood he molested children. A dead child molester who is being fondly remembered today. Nice society!