An Overview of Irresponsible Mainstream/Traditional News Media in China — Through the Lens of the Eiffel Tower Fire Incident

Today, an accident happened in Eiffel Tower. It is reported by foreign news agencies. Then news media in China started to report this case indirectly. However the first news agency made a mistake, which lead to series of incorrect reports as they did not double check the source. Let’s sort out the sequence of events and see how these happened. Under each category, arrange in chronological order.

Foreign news media reports

1. Newsweek

   Title: Eiffel Tower Fire Alarm Triggered: What We Know

   Time: Published Dec 24, 2024 at 6:01 AM EST | Updated Dec 24, 2024 at 10:09 AM EST

   Agency/Reporter: By Jordan King US News Reporter

   Information: A journalist for Boulevard Voltaire, Julien Tellier, wrote: “Around 1200 people were evacuated. The firefighters have reportedly identified the origin of the flames as overheating of a cable.

   Source: https://www.newsweek.com/eiffel-tower-fire-today-latest-update-2005595

2. Euronews

   Title: Tourists evacuated from Eiffel Tower after reports of elevator fire

   Time: Published on 24/12/2024 - 12:39 GMT+1•Updated 14:05

   Agency/Reporter: By Euronews

   Information: Some 1,200 tourists were evacuated on Tuesday from the iconic Paris landmark, the Eiffel Tower, after reports of a fire in one of its elevator shafts between the first and second floor.

   Source: https://www.euronews.com/travel/2024/12/24/tourists-evacuated-from-eiffel-tower-after-reports-of-elevator-fire

3. BFM TV

   Title: Paris: la tour Eiffel évacuée après un court-circuit sur un rail d’alimentation d’un ascenseur

   Time: Le 24/12/2024 à 12:57

   Agency/Reporter: Alicia Foricher avec Fanny Rocher

   Information: La tour Eiffel a été évacuée, ce mardi 24 décembre, après un court-circuit sur un rail d’alimentation d’un ascenseur, a appris BFMTV.com auprès de la Société d’Exploitation de la Tour Eiffel (SETE). Le problème technique a eu lieu entre le deuxième et le sommet du monument, entraînant le déclenchement de l’alarme incendie à 10h50. “Conformément aux procédures de sécurité en vigueur”, la SETE a fait évacuer le monument.

   Source: https://www.bfmtv.com/paris/paris-la-tour-eiffel-evacuee-apres-un-court-circuit-sur-un-rail-d-alimentation-d-un-ascenseur_AN-202412240361.html

Domestic news media reports

环球网

Title: 突发！外媒：埃菲尔铁塔电梯井发生火灾，目前火势已得到控制

Time: 2024 12/24 13:26 in their official webpage

Agency/Reporter: 陈奕桐

Information: In official website, it says “据欧洲新闻电视台、美国《新闻周刊》、法国BFMTV电视台等媒体报道，当地时间12月24日，法国巴黎地标建筑埃菲尔铁塔一层与二层间的一个电梯井发生火灾，现场游客被紧急疏散。”. In other platforms, it says: “据欧洲新闻电视台、美国《新闻周刊》、法国BFMTV电视台等媒体报道，当地时间12月24日，法国巴黎地标建筑埃菲尔铁塔一层与二层间的一个电梯井发生火灾，现场约12000名游客被紧急疏散。” The difference between two is the later make a mistake, the number was mistakenly reported as 12,000 instead of 1,200. So I guess they edited and deleted number of visitor who were evacuated without adding edit time.

Official webpage:

​ Source: https://world.huanqiu.com/article/4Kn3FAV3Jyp

环球网Delivery in other platform:

1. 凤凰网
   

​ Source: https://news.ifeng.com/c/8fa5qBC9KEt

​ In this platform, it did not have wrong information.

2. 新浪新闻
   

​ Source: https://news.sina.com.cn/w/2024-12-24/doc-ineaqpai1472759.shtml

​ Without wrong information in this platform

3. 腾讯网
   
   ​ Wrong information exists.

4. 新浪财经
   

​ Source: https://finance.sina.com.cn/jjxw/2024-12-24/doc-ineaqpai1475747.shtml

​ Wrong information exists.

5. 今日头条
   

Source: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7451954637034291747/?wid=1735079561146

Even this is the same time as post in 新浪财经, the content is different as it did not contain wrong information. So I guess they edited without pointing out edit time.

6. 网易

   

   Without wrong information.

   Source: https://www.163.com/dy/article/JK6UQ1P00514R9OJ.html

7. 北京日报

Source: https://xinwen.bjd.com.cn/content/s676abe15e4b06b0a5624a534.html

It is very strange, if they found the mistake in 20:26 like post in 凤凰网 and 新浪新闻, why still post wrong information later in platform like 腾讯网, 新浪财经, 北京日报. So I guess they updated information in some platforms without add edit time, but some they forgot.

Other news media reprinted blindly

1. 头条新闻

   

Source: https://weibo.com/1618051664/P6nCy0MHK

2. 观察者网

   

Source: https://weibo.com/1887344341/P6oyUhzqa

3. 洪观新闻

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/t0eBq3uVA-vhcvps1pNDwA

Even though the editor reference to two source, he still did not find wrong information.

4. 北京日报

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/9kR6ngMroslnQowPD-lEaQ

5. 深圳新闻网

   

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/KbO9lTeT81PAWjK-x8M8IA

6. 津云

Source: https://weibo.com/2967529507/P6rOCDwhv?refer_flag=1001030103_

7. 新闻晨报

   

   Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/K1un9tMzZ6UEsjcMuA5DxA

8. 鲁中晨报

Source: https://www.163.com/dy/article/JK83CS0P0530JPVV.html

How about self-media

Traditional media is irresponsible, but self-media is even more exaggerated, with some even fabricating content.

1. 科普文迅

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/5WB5tLe3CAxEjaNfz0j4WQ

News media reprinted correctly

1. 中国新闻网

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/UE0ZFiMRY7ScjCLMUoSyXw

2. 中国新闻社

Source: https://mp.weixin.qq.com/s/VZwcy9Vymdk_fF7MXq5L0A

3. 上观新闻

Reprinted from 中国新闻网

Source: https://www.163.com/dy/article/JK743A94055040N3.html

4. FM93浙江交通之声

Reprinted from 中国新闻网综合自环球网、此前报道

Source: https://www.163.com/dy/article/JK75CEN505149FJ6.html

5. 都市网(来自加拿大的中文媒体)

Source: https://dushi.singtao.ca/vancouver/%E6%96%B0%E9%97%BB/%E6%96%B0%E9%97%BB%E5%BF%AB%E9%80%92/%E5%B7%B4%E9%BB%8E%E5%9F%83%E8%8F%B2%E5%B0%94%E9%93%81%E5%A1%94%E5%8F%91%E7%94%9F%E7%81%AB%E7%81%BE-%E7%BA%A61200%E6%B8%B8%E5%AE%A2%E9%9C%80%E7%96%8F%E6%95%A3/

6. 中國報(来自马来西亚的中文媒体)

Source: https://www.chinapress.com.my/20241225/%E5%B7%B4%E9%BB%8E%E5%9F%83%E8%8F%B2%E5%B0%94%E9%93%81%E5%A1%94%E7%81%AB%E7%81%BE-1200%E6%B8%B8%E5%AE%A2%E7%96%8F%E6%95%A3/