Phoenix TV news outlets (Fox 10, NBC 12, ABC 15 and Independent 3) have gone wild the past 24 hours reporting that Tiger Woods may be hitting the Arizona city soon. All have reported on newscasts there’s a possibility Woods could be soon heading to The Meadows rehab center outside Phoenix for treatment of an alleged sexual addiction.
(No.)
Just how excited are they all? NBC 12 went so far as to do a live shot tonight outside The Meadows facility.
(Right, wait right here.)
But upon finding out the true source of all that reportage, I don’t exactly share their enthusiasm. And it’s not even close.
All of the Phoenix TV news outlet reports originated from this one paragraph - that set off a chain reax - from David Gardner yesterday afternoon (local time) in the LONDON DAILY MAIL:
Meanwhile Woods, 33, was reportedly planning to go into rehab in Arizona in the New Year for treatment for ’sexual compulsion’ and his use of Vicodin painkillers and Ambien sleeping pills.
That’s it. The graf is buried in the piece, absolutely no details with only anon sourcing.
At least one report I saw tonight, from independent AZFamily 3 in Phoenix, cited the Daily Mail piece. Though in the same report, “Fox News” was also cited as a source.
The Fox News national TV network did not air a report about Woods going to Arizona for rehab. Though Fox 10 in Phoenix reported it on a newscast last night, based on the Daily Mail piece. That Fox 10 newscast report prompted this post at the amateur news blog site Examiner.com:
Fox news just reported that Tiger Woods is seeking sex addiction treatment in Phoenix, Arizona. He will be treated at the Meadows.
I talked to the woman who wrote the post, Darla Hanger. She confirmed to me that she got that information straight from Fox 10 in Phoenix, not the Fox News Network.
Somehow Google News recognizes Examiner.com as a mainstream media outlet, no different than say, the New York Times or Arizona Republic. So when other local Phoenix main media members saw Hangar’s post - and thought it was Fox News reporting on Woods coming to Phoenix - they ran with it.
Big mistake.
Fox 10 is already backing away from its report last night - the station’s online report contains no mention of “The Meadows” and now references only “unconfirmed reports.” But the story is still picking up speed at NBC 12, ABC 15 and Ind. 3.
For the record, I did talk to Valerie Allen, public relations person for The Meadows today. When I asked her if Woods was coming to The Meadows she said, “I can neither confirm not deny any reports.”
To be fair, I wouldn’t call what happened here a full-blown, main media clusterbleep - because there’s always a chance Woods could indeed end up at The Meadows.
Right Lloyd?
12:49 am on December 18th, 2009
Ya was gonna say, do the rehab thing. Too bad they can’t rehab character.
The rehab staff better forget about tips.
1:02 am on December 18th, 2009
Wonder if he’ll ask for freebie meals there.
7:04 am on December 18th, 2009
A ‘condition’ of sex addiction is worth about 500 million to this guy, so it ’s a good idea he hunker down and get this ‘monkey’ off of his back…:) this brother has some freakin’ smart lawyers working for him that’s for sure…
8:53 am on December 18th, 2009
Freda Felcher…from Cranston…yea i remember…I mean I remember you talking about her.
9:06 am on December 18th, 2009
I hope there are no females working or rehabbing at this facility or he’ll be banging them like a screen door in a windstorm too!!
1:14 pm on December 18th, 2009
sorry your hits are way down because of examiner.
really sux.
2:16 pm on December 18th, 2009
Isn’t it interesting how you publicly thrash Darla Hanger, yet she’s not the only one who put out this news. Not only that, but she DID check her sources…unlike bloggers who just re-write stuff they’ve seen on other sites; so - she acted in a professional manner.
Additionally, when YOU checked your source, that is The Meadows, the person you spoke with said, “I can neither confirm not deny any reports.” Pretty much in anyone’s book this means “YES - Tiger will be coming here for treatment, but I legally can’t say so at this point…”
You know what Brooks? You’re a bit biased - maybe because you’re losing income due to that “amateur news blog site Examiner.com.” And I can see how it would irk you, especially since sportsbybrooks.com is such a real trusty newsworthy site, right up there with New York Times and all.
Oh wait…isn’t this a blog?
3:02 pm on December 19th, 2009
I went to rehab at the Meadows in 05′. Lots of celebrities attend there as I found out when I arrived. I had a famous roomate in fact. They are very sensitive to privacy issues there. You can not use your last name and if you say anyone else’ last name you will be asked to leave. For the insane amount of money it cost to go there, the living quarters and food are terrible but the treatment is great
1:39 pm on January 14th, 2010
2007) I’m a golf professional and was caught by my wife having a online relationship with a women. I had plan to meet this women on a trip to Orlando, but was caught by my wife with spyware on my PC.
After being caught my wife planned to divorce me and take the kids – Very Sad! The next day I jump on a plane and put myself in THe Meadows rehab (where tiger is) and it was the best thing that ever happened to me! I feel that The Meadows change my life in so many ways for the positive!
I regret that my wife moved on even after all the work, but I honestly wouldn’t change a thing!
Cheers