Indigo_Dingo said:
Maybe that was a poor choice of words, and if so, I apologize, but its not that rare to see a story reported in the forums before the news room
Forum posters don't have to do fact-checking with second sources, nor do they have to go through other forms of editing. Forum posters can slap up any ol' rumour they wish and not have to consider things like libel law and journalistic best practices, either.
I'd be greatly surprised if Escapist staff were yanking news from the forums, seeing as forums in general are
lousy sources. It wouldn't surprise me in the least, though, if the Escapist got an item, worked up a story, sent it in for proofing, and then by the time the final item hits the site someone else has posted a shorter or less-verified version in the forums.
It's the difference between journalism and blogging; blogging's faster, but journalism (done properly) makes fewer mistakes.
-- Steve