Thursday, 2 February 2012

'Much to the amusement of those watching'

A MailOnline story posted yesterday evening claimed:


The article by Simon Tomlinson - which amounts to: person with funny name gets photo shown on TV -  then publishes the picture:


This blog was contacted by an eagle-eyed reader who pointed out that the font doesn't quite look like the one the BBC News Channel uses.

A comment on the MailOnline article makes the same point, and also questions why they would include the 'LIVE' caption while showing photographs from viewers.

Further doubts were raised by other comments. One said:

Strange, I live 12 miles from Lutterworth and we haven't seen so much as a flake of snow all day. Maybe that should read FAKE instead of flake!

Another said:

I live 6 miles away and drove through lutterworth and there was no snow today!

And a third said:

Well I live in Lutterworth and we haven't seen as much as a snowflake during this recent cold snap! Someone was clearly yanking the BBC's leg!!

A comment left this morning sheds more light:

This is a photoshopped picture and a fake name, my friend did it. Can't believe it's made the news with people thinking it's real! Search Phlex Media :)

And, indeed, searching for Phlex Media finds this Facebook page where Jody Kirton is currently telling his followers how his 'photoshopped photo made the news'. And on Twitter:


He explains how he photoshopped the picture, put it on a USB, looked at it on his TV and then took the picture. He has posted a copy of his original photoshopped picture as proof.

He has now also posted another photo on his Facebook. It has the caption: 'Daily Mail 0, Jody 1'.

And this incident comes so soon after this...

(Hat-tip to Martin S)

UPDATE: Craig Silverman from Poynter has interviewed Jody.  

UPDATE (6 February): The article has now been deleted from the Mail's website. 
Posted by MacGuffin at 11:50
Labels: , ,

10 comments:

  1. Anonymous2 February 2012 at 12:24

    HAHAHA NICE!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Bob2 February 2012 at 16:53

    Also, see reddit.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Paul3 February 2012 at 03:38

    Not the first time the BBC weather department has been caught out.

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

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DBC3 February 2012 at 16:28

      Paul, this is nothing to do with the BBC. Didn't you read the above blog?

      Delete
    2. Paul3 February 2012 at 22:05

      Oops. You're quite correct DBC.

      Both the BBC and the Daily Mail can be caught out on occasion obviously.

      Delete
    3. Doctor_Fruitbat5 February 2012 at 02:21

      Very true, Paul, but there is a big difference: the BBC didn't realise what was said because it is a colloquialism, while the Daily Mail was caught out because they have decided that the BBC are evil and MUST BE ATTACKED to keep their readership up, without bothering to check the facts or realising how asinine their attacks are.

      It's why they're currently getting stick on the blogosphere for blindly believing every last word that Positive Weather Solutions say just because they say what the Mail wants, despite being an extraordinarily shady outfit that uses the photos of Russian brides for its staff profiles, and rabidly attacking the Met Office even when their evidence is solid, because they've decided that they're a target for ridicule despite an excellent track record.

      Delete
  4. DBC3 February 2012 at 08:35

    http://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/local/rugby_photographer_tricks_daily_mail_with_fake_snow_photo_1_3480595

    Nice to see a local newspaper having a go at the Daily Fail

    ReplyDelete
  5. Anonymous3 February 2012 at 20:26

    As English is not my mother-tongue, could you explain what's funny about the name Shanda Lear?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paul3 February 2012 at 22:07

      This:

      http://www.classicalchandeliers.co.uk/includes/templates/glacial_age/images/Chandelier%20main%20page.jpg

      Is a Chandelier. The word is pronounced "Shanda Lear"

      Delete
  6. Anonymous10 February 2012 at 13:55

    So the daily mail used somebody's photo without permission, publised it as something else. Copyright theft - Hope they pay a fee

    ReplyDelete

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