As a person who has occasionally watched bits and pieces of TMZ's daily television show, I have to say that I have never thought very highly of TMZ. Chasing around celebrities and trying to annoy them with silly stupid questions, I suppose, really isn't my cup of tea. But I digress, because I also have to say that I was thoroughly impressed yesterday with TMZ. Not only was TMZ the first to report Michael Jackson's death, but it was well over an hour later before any other media outlet was able to confirm the death and report it as fact themselves. In the Internet era, such lag time between the first reporter and the second is virtually unheard of (sorry Jeeves to end a sentence on a preposition). In fact, I can't recall seeing anything quite like that before. You know what that means? TMZ was all over the story and had sources and information that other media outlets did not (or least did not until well over an hour later) -- a most impressive feat with respect to a story that was very sudden and fast-moving. TMZ should consider branching out in the mainstream national news and political arena, because they might just be able to show the advocates who lurk there a thing or two about real journalism.
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