According to TMZ.com, pop-star Michael Jackson has passed away at age 50. The local news coverage is as follows:
**CONFIRMED** By LA Times, and NBC News: Michael Jackson IS dead at age 50.
WFOR: has still not reported that he has officially “died.” Still only saying that he is hospitalized.
WTVJ: is saying that, “although NBC has not been able to confirm this, the gossip website TMZ.com is reporting that Michael Jackson has passed away.”
UPDATE: WTVJ just ran a promo for their 7PM show, confirming his death. ON THE 7PM SHOW: They had a HD liveshot from NBC (or KNBC?) reporter Jinah Kim. They are also having their health reporter, to explain what sudden cardiac arrest is. Also explaining how “AED defibrillators” are the only way to save someone suffering from the cardiac arrest, with only 3-5 minutes to act. Saying: “WTVJ just installed them at the studio.”
WSVN: was first on Twitter to link to TMZ saying he was dead – haven’t seen any TV coverage about it.
UPDATE: 7 just had a “News Alert” to confirm. WSVN staying with breaking news past 7pm
WPLG: only reporting on the hospitalization.
_______
MSNBC quoting: LA Times, saying that he is in a coma… Not dead.
Today Show’s Twitter: cites TMZ in saying Michael Jackson has died.
NBC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, and ABC’s World News: Reports that Michael Jackson IS dead.
NO cable news station has quoted nor cited TMZ. (Update:) However, they have now been able to confirm via NBC News and LA Time sources.
CNN Reports: Michael Jackson is in a coma. Now reports death as well.
With the Internet, and websites like Twitter – Even TV news seems dated… Not to mention print newspapers? HA!
LAST UPDATED: 7:07 P.M. 6/25/09
It was a NEWSPAPER – The Los Angeles Times – that confirmed MJ’s death.
Cnannel 7 continues the coverage at 7
Right now they’re doing a special edition of Deco. (Emmy Worthy)
Channel 7 will be changing their branding from “The News Station” to “The Michael Jackson Station”, call letters will change from WSVN to WMJ7.
Heh.
7News will be on MJ Watch all day, all night. No rest. No sleep. All Michael All the time. Like a bad play list.
local 10 at 11pm was no better than 7. I don’t know if they ever broke away from mj coverage to do weather & sports. 10 has become such a joke; the only things worth watching are weather and jeff weinsier going into the kitchen of chinese restaurants. the rest of the show is nonsense and silly stuff. when exactly did news judgement go out the window?
Well then they werent like 7, cause at 10, 7 did do weather.
at 10pm, 7 did about 6 minutes of “other news” and weather and another 3 minutes of sports. i was impressed with their “restraint”…
When are you guys going to follow that new online news station, Online News Network? (;
there is no doubt that Michael Jackson is the best ever pop music artist of the Centruy`*`