This weekend I honestly thought Lil Wayne was going to die.
TMZ reported that the Young Money rapper was read his last rites. At that moment, my plans for Friday evening were canceled and I didn’t call anyone to tell them I was no longer going out. I was glued to my computer, working. Finding out information, calling people I knew.
I was starting Twitter groups, updating stories, barking orders, taking orders, and squeezing my friends for any information I could find. The problem is, TMZ has a track record so good, they could report that Santa Claus is real and people will believe them, report it, and take it as gospel.
TMZ correctly reported Michael Jackson was dead when CNN was still reporting that he was alive. TMZ reported that Rihanna was attacked by Chris Brown when people thought they were still en route to the Grammys. TMZ broke more big stories then a clumsy kid inside the library. So when they say something, EVERYONE listens. CBS, ABC, Fox and GlobalGrind.
But we must remember: Lil Wayne has kids. He has a bunch of family, friends and fans who love and care about him. So when you report something like Lil Wayne is being read his last rites, you have to take the consequences in consideration.
Sure, Wayne is a public figure, but does the journalist code not apply to him? The Harm Limitation is real. This principle pretty much states that some weight needs to be given to the negative consequences of full disclosure. IE: Lil Wayne’s daughter finding out her father is in the hospital dying on Twitter, or the mothers of Wayne’s children getting the terrible news via a phone call from someone else other than Wayne.
I get it; a scoop is a scoop. But TMZ’s legacy requires them to move with more caution than normal.
Yes, my night was ruined, meetings canceled, a friend of mine almost shed a tear on that Friday night, but what about Wayne’s family, who is trying so hard to stay strong and keep it together – while the world starts writing his obituary.
The sad part is: we still don’t know who to believe.
Do you think TMZ has pie on their face?
~ Blog Xilla Follow Me On Twitter
Xilla is the Sr. Entertainment Editor for GlobalGrind.com as well as CEO of the number 1 relationship blog BlogXilla.com/M2TB.com. He has been featured in XXL, The Source, Essence, LA Times and is considered one of the premiere bloggers in the industry. Follow him on twitter @BlogXilla
