Former Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, is expected to be executed within the day as punishment for crimes against humanity after being convicted by the Iraq Special Tribunal in November.
Politics and death penalty arguments aside, this is a ground breaking global event and is currently under smack dab in the middle of the radar on CNN, MSNBC, FOX, and other news channels.
I’ve found the Wikipedia page on Saddam Hussein to be of interest, as it seems that if one refreshes the page every 15 minutes or so, some of the information changes, as editors and Wikipedia users are adding to the page as news comes out over the major wire services.
Wikipedia has marked this page the following:
* This article documents a current event.
* This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia’s quality standards.
* The neutrality of this article is disputed.
With all of the arguments and debate going on over the current trustworthiness of Wikipedia information, and the plans to launch Wikiasari, the Wikipedia oriented search engine - monitoring the Saddam page on Wikipedia is a case study in progress.
Other ‘real time search engine’ sources of monitoring Saddam news:
* Technorati : Saddam Hussein
Sphere : Saddam Hussein
Vote for this post : 0
or Buzz it at Yahoo :
Comments
9 responses so far ↓
Jane Whales on Dec 29, 2006 at 3:44 pm
There is nothing legitimate in the Wikipedia article on Husseinwe can’t find from the same sources Wikipediacs use. The difference is that in Wikipedia, accurate accounts are mingled with misrepresentations. I prefer to read for myself what CNN, Fox, NBC and Indy say rather than read what the latest revision of Wikipedi says they said, then check Wikipedi’s vast back channels to see of the author is a 13-year-old or an advocate for a political interest.
RUCK GREER on Dec 29, 2006 at 4:17 pm
THANK GOD. JUSTICE WILL BE SERVED VERY SOON.
Jane Whales on Dec 29, 2006 at 5:43 pm
It is patently wrong to say the execution is “under the radar” of major news channels. It’s the lead, or sharing the lead with the Pres. Ford funeral, in:
* CNN
* Fox
* MSNBC
* Washington Post
* New York Times
* USA Today’s online edition.
* BBC
The professional versions are clearly more readable and, for most people not involved in promoting amature’s effort over the sources forked into their amature sites, more believable. From where I sit, breaking news, such as the most recently announced deadline for execution later today, is appearing first on news sites, then being argued about at Wikipedia. Washington Post’s report is leading with Hussein’s appeal in US courts, while Fox is leading with news the execution deadline is 10 p.m. EST. A spot check reveals at least Fox and BBC have detailed profiles that compare with or exceed in depth those Wikipdia offers.
Please explain why you misinformed us that the world’s lead news of the day was somehow under the radar of the major Western news services?
Jane Whales on Dec 29, 2006 at 6:47 pm
Meanwhile, on Wikipedia’s main page, the word Hussein is not present. Saddam’s imment execution is not listed among seven stories listed at this time on Wikipedia’s Main Page “In the news” section.
http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Main_Page&oldid=96861235
The case study in progress to which you refer reveals news organizations leading with the major news of the day while Wikipedia completely ignores the same news on it’s main page, and while an advocate of Wikipedia claims exactly the opposite — the Wikipedia somehow found news the others missed.
Explain?
Big Papa on Dec 29, 2006 at 9:43 pm
Where can I watch the [guy] HANG!!!
Loren Baker, Editor on Dec 29, 2006 at 10:21 pm
Jane, my explanation and post is about how as the major news organizations are reporting on the Saddam Hussein happenings, changes are being made to the Saddam Wikipedia page to reflect those changes.
Of course there is more coverage on major news sites and networks, as they are the news and the Wikipedia entry is a reflection of the man’s life, just instantaneously updated by Wikipedia members and citizen journalists, which is the cornerstone of social media.
The living case study I refer to is that if one refreshes the Wikipedia page throughout the day they will see changes made to that exact page, reflective of the news.
Given that the Wikipedia page is the first organic result in Yahoo and the second in Google for a search of “Saddam Hussein” and that Wikipedia is a living, changing and dynamic web destination and resource, the popularity of today’s happenings will result in constant changes and focus on the Saddam Wikipedia page.
Perhaps my use of the “under the radar” phrase is misleading and a misrepresentation of the point of this post, being that the original meaning is that the story is ON the radar screens of the major news organizations, not “flying” under the radar. I’ll change this to reflect my point.
Loren Baker, Editor on Dec 29, 2006 at 10:31 pm
FYI, looks like Saddam Hussein’s hanging has taken place:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Execution_of_Saddam_Hussein
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20061230/ts_nm/iraq_dc_58
CarstenCumbrowski on Dec 30, 2006 at 2:02 am
Jesus MF Christ, over 300 Edits of the Saddam article at Wikipedia… and that is for TODAY only. See the articles edit history.
The Template was added for articles where the NPOV is in question …
… and the one that is asking for more references, sources and citations
… how “creative” … The articles “Talk page” is growing and already has 8 archive pages. Interesting.
The article was not “semi” or worse “fully protected” yet and the discussions are “calm” … considering the topic.
If you want to see how it could look like when Wikipedians go mad and “war” breaks out, look at the Edit history of the “Wikitruth.info” (Website) entry from April this year.
See here and getting even better… here.
Well, how we say in Germany “The night is still young” … who knows what might happens tonight.
jenn on Jan 2, 2007 at 4:37 pm
I totally agree. As a Catholic I believe we shouldn’t execute people, this is God’s will, not ours. As a Buddist I believe karma would dish him out a just ending had he lived. I think he got off easy dying by hanging. It was quick and then over. The pain felt by his vicims of rape or murder of a loved one lives on.
Leave a Comment