TMZ and Other News Outlets Receive Backlash Following Kobe Bryant’s Death

Basketball legend Kobe Bryant was first reported dead by TMZ at 1:24 p.m. CT on Sunday. 

Nearly an hour after police received reports of the crash, TMZ released the story before authorities could notify family members, CNN reported.

In the hours following the TMZ report, the media released countless updates on the tragedy, many of them false, premature and disrespectful. 

It’s a ramification of a faster-paced, Internet-driven, compressed news cycle in a new media age: Inaccuracies and speed taking precedent over protocol. In some cases, social media fueled false reports.

In a press conference, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva specifically addressed the celebrity-gossip website TMZ on what he called their inappropriate reporting. 

“It would be extremely disrespectful to understand that your loved one has perished and you learn about it from TMZ,” said Villanueva.

Following TMZ’s initial report, other news outlets immediately confirmed the story and started reporting and releasing updates.

With a household name like Kobe Bryant, the media were quick to jump on the story.

Forbes called the coverage “sloppy”, listing multiple slip ups that were published while news was breaking.

Examples of journalistic actions that caused controversy

There were a number of actions taken by journalists that caused controversy. In one case, social media gave new life to a false video. They include:

• Alison Morris of MSNBC misspeaking during live broadcast
• Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post’s link to Bryant’s sexual assault allegations
• A viral video of a helicopter crash claiming to be Bryant’s
• Matt Gutman of ABC News falsely reporting who died

Morris caused a outcry on Twitter when her live broadcast went viral.

Morris tweeted that she misspoke, trying to say “Lakers” and “Knicks,” accidentally combining the words, saying “Nakers,” but Twitter claimed she said the N-word. This ignited a frenzy as the video went viral, and Morris issued an apology the same day.

Washington Post reporter Felicia Sonmez was suspended after she tweeted a link to an article detailing Bryant’s sexual assault allegations from 2003 in the hours after his death, reported The New York Times.

Following her initial tweet, Sonmez received many negative emails including multiple death threats. Sonmez then tweeted a screenshot of her email disclosing the full name of the sender, this prompted her suspension.

This caused a lot of debate in the journalism community on when it’s appropriate to note the mistakes of high-profile people in the media following their deaths and whether or not the suspension was ethical.

The Post is now reviewing whether she violated the social media policy.

Before her suspension, Martin Baron, Washington Post executive editor, emailed Sonmez regarding her posts, reported The New York Times.

“Felicia, a real lack of judgment to this tweet,” said Baron. “Please stop. You’re hurting this institution by doing this.”

That wasn’t the only controversy. The day of the tragedy, a viral video of a helicopter spinning out of control before crashing and bursting into flames starting spreading around social media.

Although the video, which has since been taken down, claimed to be Bryant’s helicopter crash, the footage was actually taken near Dubai in 2018 according to Fox13.

One of the worst slip ups in the coverage came from ABC News reporter Matt Gutman.

Gutman said in a live broadcast that it was “believed” Bryant and his four daughters were aboard the helicopter with him. 

Celebrity gossip sites and national news outlets are starting to receive criticism for the way the media reacted. 

TMZ specifically is receiving a lot of backlash from fans, authorities and other news outlets for their premature release.

Tim Murakami, Los Angeles County undersheriff, also commented on TMZ’s coverage on Twitter.

“I understand getting the scoop but please allow us time to make personal notifications to their loved ones,” said Murakami. “It’s very cold to hear of the loss via media. Breaks my heart.”

TMZ representative did not reply on Sunday to CNN’s requests for a comment.

This news, whether accurate or not, stunned the world. Immediately celebrities, politicians and fans started reflecting on Bryant’s career and role in the community.

“Kobe was an inspiration to hoopers around the globe and I didn’t fully feel the weight of his death until today,” said UW-Milwaukee basketball player, Shae Mitchell to Media Milwaukee. “Yesterday it didn’t seem real to me because I think of him as someone who seemed invincible honestly. Just shows how anybody can go no matter their status.” 

Bryant and eight others were aboard his private helicopter when it crashed into a Calabasas hillside. They were on their way to a basketball game at the Mamba Sports Academy. 

Among the eight were Bryant’s daughter, 13-year-old Gianna Maria Onore Bryant, Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, his wife Kari Altobelli and daughter Alyssa Altobelli, Sarah Chester and daughter Payton Chester, basketball coach Christina Mauser and Bryant’s private pilot Ara Zobayan, the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner confirmed.

Alex Reimer summed up the fast-breaking media coverage best in his Forbes article. 

“Few reporters and columnists deliver their best work when the facts about serious stories are still in flux,” said Reimer. “The immediate coverage of Bryant’s death once again showed that to be the case.”