This entry is a little slow in coming, but in truth, that has let the story grow even more. The blog over at NewsDesigner.com has religiously tracked the usage of a photo that was purported to be a photo of tourists fleeing a tsunami wave in Sri Lanka. Turns out the photo was actually taken in China years earlier. (I remember seeing it run on the AP before.)
NewsDesigner's coverage began on Jan. 4 with this post. In the post, is the original caption info.
Well, here's a September 16, 2002, page with the fleeing people image and what appears to be the original wire service cutline: "Spectators "flee" as huge waves of the Qiantangjiang River approach in east China's Zhejiang Province Sunday, Sept. 8, 2002. Huge tides occurred as Typhoon Sinlaku swept through the southern part of the East China Sea at 5:00 a.m. since last Saturday, with the maximum wind force of 40 meters per second. (AP Photo/Zhan Xiadong, XINHUA)"
Read each post that relates to the erroneous coverage afforded this photo. You'll learn about the photo's history and how it spread. You'll probably be amazed to read who (individuals and organizations) fell for this photo without checking it out more or remembering seeing it before (as I did.)
Here is each post, starting with the first and working to the most recent.
• WHERE'D THEY COME FROM?
• THE FALSE WAVE
• CANADIAN PHOTOGS WEIGH IN
• TOO GOOD TO CHECK, PART LXVIII
• IF YOU'RE OUT OF LUCK OR OUT OF WORK, WE COULD SEND YOU TO JOHANNESBURG