Re-used tornado video from 6/12/04

[Mark Sudduth]

So, what's next for Andy? This is quite an interesting situation, I must say. We hear of writers making stuff up, we also had the fake tiger in China recently (was a poster put in the weeds and then photographed, passed off as real), the fake unknown tribe in South America....it is running rampant these days- what gives? Is the cost of oil so much now that people are turning to fake journalism to earn a buck? Yikes. But seriously, I wonder what will happen next with this guy. It is an astounding story considering he had to know that someone would catch him...oh well....

 

[Mark Sudduth]

Is there any chance at all that he uploaded or named the wrong clip and/or the AP grabbed the wrong clip? I know nothing of Andy except about this story. But it would be a real shame if he was guilty only of some kind of accidental mis-labeling or something. Just wondering because otherwise, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. Very baaaaaaaaaaaaad.

 

[Jim Tang]

Is it possible he took the video on June 12, 2004, but uploaded it and described it as a tornado in Valentine (or wherever it was)?

 

[Shane Adams]

Is there any chance at all that he uploaded or named the wrong clip and/or the AP grabbed the wrong clip? I know nothing of Andy except about this story. But it would be a real shame if he was guilty only of some kind of accidental mis-labeling or something. Just wondering because otherwise, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. Very baaaaaaaaaaaaad.

If that were the case, he'd have been blowing up the forums and blogs explaining his oversight, to clear his name...he's been on this forum today.

No, what we have here is a person who just doesn't know when to quit.

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

Is there any chance at all that he uploaded or named the wrong clip and/or the AP grabbed the wrong clip? I know nothing of Andy except about this story. But it would be a real shame if he was guilty only of some kind of accidental mis-labeling or something. Just wondering because otherwise, baaaaaaaaaaaaaaad. Very baaaaaaaaaaaaad.

Yeah in the 1000+ video packages I have edited and sold in the last 8 years, I have to watch out for the ANY key on my computer. The ANY key is known to flip video on the timeline in Adobe, and speed it up 4 times faster without any warning.

The evidence is in and I really don't think the Executives and SR. Staff of all of the TV Networks would issue such a strong statement if this was not being caught red handed.

There is the downside that all the networks will be asking for more proof of the video really happened. I think they will wait until they get several videos from an event before they pick a video for sale.

On the up side is the viewer video of severe weather will also be more limited now since this really highlighted a major flaw in the viewer free footage. Why? That was why Dan caught this in the first place. He thought some viewer took chaser video and then flipped it and uploaded it and asked me to look into where the video came from. We thought there may have been a copyright violation, not a journalistic violation.

 

[Ryan McGinnis]

Is it possible he took the video on June 12, 2004, but uploaded it and described it as a tornado in Valentine (or wherever it was)?

In my estimation, that's most likely exactly what happened (after he flipped the video and sped it up.)

 

[Dave Kaplow]

I wonder, is the AP now going to try and get their $295 back?

 

[Doug_Kiesling]

I wonder, is the AP now going to try and get their $295 back?

If it was this weekend, I don't think they have paid it out. The going timeline I have found for most of the networks is about 45 - 90 days.

I bet they are going to try and get everything back from him that they paid him for prior videos this year.

I would also think that CNN, TWC, ABC, CBS, and NBC will also be looking for a refund on prior sales for video.

To put it very blunt as one of the networks told me tonight while sending them severe footage I shot today in MN (See www.Weatherpaparazzi.com blog), what happened not only was a fraud on the networks they said but it was a fraud on millions of viewers.

 

[Chad Cowan]

No, what we have here is a person who just doesn't know when to quit.

I think what he's doing is following Ari Gold's mantra- "Deny til you die."

I'm sure he knows and understands what he did (like the rest of us) but any admission of wrongdoing in a public forum or phone interview could be used against him in the likely forthcoming lawsuit... but saying that all chasers are jealous of his mad skillz and everyone is out to get him is rather poor form.

 

[John Erwin]

I'm sure he knows and understands what he did (like the rest of us) but any admission of wrongdoing in a public forum or phone interview could be used against him in the likely forthcoming lawsuit...

I'm sure he could have de-fused this rather early on in the game if he had simply said he made a mistake and returned the money paid for the footage. While flipping video and speeding it up is hardly a "mistake", at least it would have been an acknowledgment of an "oops" on his part and he probably could have simply let this slide away.

Instead he's taking a hard line that can only result in his name being permanently tarnished.

 

[Shane Adams]

It's not even the fact that he denied doing it that didn't set well with me. It was when instead of confessing, he lashed out with a broadbrush comment about the rest of us being jealous and trying to crucify. As many people read that about us all as saw the fake clip online. While it didn't offend me personally, it still shows his complete lack of respect for other chasers (as if his original stunt didn't display his disrespect enough as is). I'm not one to jump on a bandwagon when someone is down and beat them to death, but this guy flat out begged for it. I withheld judgement until the facts came forth, and once they did, and I saw what a total POS this guy had been about the whole situation, I flipped the switch. Fair Game.

I know some of you have said that despite what he did, his comments are true (chasers are jealous and whatnot). Of course it's true, but that's a very distinguished group of chasers, not chasers in general, which he tried to project in the media (no doubt to cover his a$$). The very least I can do is drag his name through the mud mercilessly.

 

[Mike Peregrine]

The chasing world is as full of jealousy and competition as any media-driven environment. No doubt about it. And I've seen chasers go for the jugular over the most trivial things in the past. It really can be dog-eat-dog. However, in this case the problem is not so much in the act itself. When a person's integrity is challenged, they can choose to handle it one of two ways. Taking responsibility for the failure is always the respectable course of action. You might lose credibility, but you can at least retain dignity. Denying it does no one any good. And lashing out and laying the blame at the feet of others makes the matter that much worse. Once someone chooses to go down that road, it doesn't hurt one bit for them to see just what others think about it and how they have been affected.

I really have to commend Dan for a fine attitude and the way he handled the situation. He really is a professional in every sense.

Ever watch the show Intervention? It is a basic truth of human behavior that the majority of people will not change hurtful or negative behavior until it is intervened and they come to understand just how much is at stake. And if they fail to take ownership after that, then it is unfortunate, but they really are lost.

 

[Damon Scott Hynes]

I think what he's doing is following Ari Gold's mantra- "Deny til you die

T-shirt I saw once--
"Admit Nothing. Deny Everything. Make Counter-Claims."

 

[Mike Hollingshead]

He took the route that would make him look the best to the most, surely not the ones that will matter most, since those "most" will forget who he was tomorrow. Fact is, I'm betting a big chunk out of the chasing circles buy his excuse 100%. If the media would do a better job, they'd come back and SHOW perfectly well how it was a lie. Otherwise, most are going to buy the chaser jealously deal...and Dan will look the worst out of the whole thing. I'd be more than a little pissed about it if I was Dan and did ask to not have his name mentioned like he said he did.

But something tells me they won't do a better job at showing full well how it was the Rock KS tornado. If they did, they'd probably do as well as Fox "news" did...which was a joke. I'm always amazed how how simple something can be, and how hard the news makes it.

 

[Andrew Stoller]

My name has been tarnished.