July 10th, 2008 // comments (0)

The AP Runs Fake Tornado Video

NEW YORK – The Associated Press and video services operated by CBS and NBC have pulled video allegedly taken of a tornado in Nebraska last weekend after questions were raised about its authenticity.

A tornado chaser has claimed that the video was a doctored version of pictures he had taken of a twister that touched down four years ago in Rock, Kan.

The AP paid another storm chaser, Andy Fabel, $295 for footage of a tornado that briefly touched down Saturday afternoon near Valentine, Neb. The video was sent Sunday to nearly 2,000 Web sites that subscribe to the AP’s Online Video Network, and more than 60 large digital customers that buy AP’s online content individually.

Yet on Tuesday, a person who asked that his name not be used contacted the AP and said the supposed Nebraska footage was really video he had taken four years ago. The image was “flipped” to make it seem the tornado was pointed in another direction, and the action sped up. The Nebraska images add power lines and subtracts trees that were in the Kansas pictures.

Upon seeing the video evidence, the AP eliminated Fabel’s video from the Online Video Network late Tuesday and contacted its other customers to urge them not to use it, said Kevin Roach, the AP’s acting head of domestic broadcast news operations.

“We never want to mislead people,” Roach said. “Based on evidence provided to us, we believe that the video was not authentic.”

Here is the retraction from the Associated Press:

** EDS NOTE: IMAGE MANIPULATED BY SOURCE ** This image made from a manipulated video shows what is purported to be a twister that briefly touched down Saturday afternoon July 5, 2008 near Valentine, Neb. The Associated Press and video services operated by CBS and NBC have eliminated the video. A tornado chaser who wished to remain anonymous says the supposed Nebraska footage was really video he had taken four years ago Rock, Kansas. He told the AP the image was “flipped” to make it seem the tornado was pointed in another direction.

Details on the mistake can be found here. The original video that was ripped off is still available here. Between this and the Iran missiles Photoshop below, everyone’s been had this week.

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• July 10, 2008 -- Iran State Media Hides Dud With Photoshop