CNN Killed Pele, Then Revived Him With a Retraction
The world is mourning one of its stars as Edson Arantes do Nascimento, best known as Pelé, has passed away. His cause of death? CNN.
The news network announced earlier today via their New Day Twitter account that the soccer luminary had passed away at the age of 74.
CNN inaccurately declares Brazilian soccer legend Pele dead pic.twitter.com/H2tjM36xnq— Anthony De Rosa (@AntDeRosa) March 28, 2014
But before you shed tears for the Brazilian footballer, rejoice, for he has risen like a modern-day Lazarus!
#Pele representative tells CNN he is alive and very well.— New Day (@NewDay) March 28, 2014
It turns out that the rumors of Pele’s passing originated from Twitter, and CNN ran with them because… well, we don’t know. But being first is better than being right, right?
CNN issued the inevitable retraction.
An erroneous tweet about former Brazilian soccer player Pele has now been deleted by @Newday. Apologies to Pele & our followers.— CNN Public Relations (@CNNPR) March 28, 2014
Also issuing statements of their own were CNN employees, who blamed the Internet for spreading misinformation.
CNN’s @ShastaCNN in Sao Paulo has spoken to #Pele’s representative who says he is alive and very well. People need to stop making up lies— Isa Soares (@IsaCNN) March 28, 2014
Agreed, Isa Soares. People do need to stop telling lies. And CNN needs to stop reporting them.