THE GREAT LOTTERY JACKPOT WINNER DISASTER
It is completely BEYOND me that any “traditional media” publication could do a first-hand report (with photographs) on a lottery winner and not check the lottery numbers against the winning jackpot numbers. And not just to check the numbers, but also to have the most basic of fuck-up-sensors in their heads, telling them to check the date of the draw on the ticket.
Seriously, are you 12?
Yesterday’s front page reports around the country that a deaf and mute man, Stanley Philander, had won the R91 million National Lottery jackpot, have turned out to be untrue. It seems that EVEN THOUGH “Stanley and his family were spirited away by Lotto officials because they had been swamped by family and friends who wanted to share their wealth,” Stanley is NOT the winner! Someone else was the real winner and they have chosen to remain anonymous.
PLEASE tell me how both the original reporters AND the Lottery authority managed to create such an nuclear clusterfuck? How is it possible?
Traditional Media
The initial reports were concerned about how Stanley would cope with his new found wealth. They spoke of the overwhelming number of people that started pestering him for money – to the point of him having to run away.
And now what? Please tell me now what will happen to Stanley now? Please tell me how he will cope with YOUR monumental mess and the fact that you, apparently educated people, were able to let this happen?
Pathetic.
You can read more about this complete and utter balls up HERE, if you want.
But the real point of this post is not really about that. The point of this post is to remind you exactly why you and 60,000 other people (double what it was a year ago) choose to read 2oceansvibe.
We’re not even trained as journalists, here at 2oceansvibe. Thankfully it seems that basic journalism is not what you are looking for. No, not at all – you’re just looking for something semi-intelligent to read. You’re looking for something that doesn’t leave you feeling insulted. Violated even? Something that talks to YOU about things that you really care about. Things that you and your friends REALLY talk about.
Because you’re tired of the school-project quality work being handed in at your local news stands. On the radio. On the television.
Because you’re tired of four paragraph articles being written by three people at a time.
Because the launch of the iPad and news about Rupert Murdoch taking on the internet and photos of Tiger Woods’ sluts is more important to you than a report about a local minister getting a traffic fine and a witch doctor in the Eastern Cape who cast a spell on the village.
You deserve better. You really do.
Stick around.
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9 Comments
Jaco
17 Feb 2010
Hey Seth,
What are the chances that the whole “wrong date” thing is just a mere cover-up/conspiracy to get those leaches to stop bothering the poor (oops…I mean filthy rich) dude and his family?
Deems
17 Feb 2010
Ya, I was also amazed at how professional people could mess up that story and miss the most obvious of details – I did a write up yesterday morning of all the articles. Really does give journalism a bad name and there are a lot of good journalists out there.
City Slicker
17 Feb 2010
I hope the real winner will have a modicum of decency and at least buy the Philander family a little house, as they were living in a backyard. No need to diclose their details, can be done through the Lottery Board.
james
17 Feb 2010
Nice article Seth.. and thanks for the good times!
*slap snap and fisties*…
Louise
17 Feb 2010
Hmm sounds so dodgy – they f***ed up by releasing his name and location – now they saying he didnt win it but some one else did… and they want to be anonymous (they are not even going to tell their kids they won, or change their lifestyles – how convenient) … seems like they trying to fix their f*** up and cover their tracks… dodgy! The more i read about it, the more it seems like one giant cover up!
the german
17 Feb 2010
nice article!
that poor man…
Laura
17 Feb 2010
My personal suspicion is that the Philanders did win it. But when it became apparent that the widespread reporting about their win was going to pretty much mess up their lives, the Lotto organisers decided to send the press on a rabbit trail to get their eyes off the Philanders.
I might well be wrong, but that is just my suspicion. (“,)
Laura
17 Feb 2010
… athough I just read the Cape Argus actually inspected the ticket. Hmmmm, I wonder!
Elle
18 Feb 2010
Bottom line is that Mr Philander did not win and confessed that he knew he didn’t. No cover-up or conspiracy here, just a slip-up by the journalist.
Plus, fact, the lotto people weren’t the ones to “spirit” them away, the officials never confirmed that they won it.
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