by Sydney Smith on Apr 09, 2016
Chinua Achebe Died in 2013, So Why Did Sydney Newspaper Publish Obit Last Month?
Did acclaimed Nigerian author Chinua Achebe recently die? No. Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart, actually died in 2013, but The...
Obituaries
by Sydney Smith on Dec 14, 2015
Santa’s DEAD!? Norway’s Aftenposten apologizes for fake obituary
Have fun explaining this one to your kids: Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten told its readers that Santa Claus was dead. Earlier this month,...
by Sydney Smith on Feb 01, 2015
Australian Newspaper called Thorn Birds Author Fat and Plain
Famous and now-deceased Australian author Colleen McCullough was described as "plain of feature, and certainly overweight" in her obituary in...
by Sydney Smith on Jun 27, 2013
Was NYT Obit for Michael Hastings Unfair? Widow Complains, Public Editor Comments
The wife of investigative reporter Michael Hastings, Elise Jordan, complained about the New York Times' obituary of her husband, who...
by Sydney Smith on Apr 18, 2013
Reuters Accidentally Publishes George Soros Obituary, at least 3rd Obit Fail in the Media since 2011
Reuters accidentally published an obituary for billionaire philanthropist George Soros today, according to Jim Romenesko. The obituary included dummy text...
by Sydney Smith on Jan 01, 2013
Fmr. Pres. George H.W. Bush Alive, But Der Spiegel Published Obit
Der Spiegel apologized after reporting former U.S. president George H. W. Bush had died. Bush has been in the hospital recently...
by Sydney Smith on Dec 16, 2011
Whoops! Washington Post Publishes Christopher Hitchens Obit with Placeholder Text?
Whoops? The Washington Post apparently jumped the gun on its Dec. 16 obituary for writer Christopher Hitchens and published an...
by Sydney Smith on Aug 20, 2011
Was the New York Times Obit for former basketball player Sherman White unfair?
Alan D. Mutter addressed the tone of obituaries in an Aug. 15 post for his blog "Reflections of a Newsosaur." ...
by Sydney Smith on May 27, 2011
New York Times Corrects 1899 Obituary in 2011
The New York Times explained in a post on its "City Room" blog that it has corrected a 112-year-old obituary...