June 14, 2009 1:58 PM
- Text
Twitter Users Put CNN to Shame on Iran Riot Coverage
(MoneyWatch) Yesterday may have been a slow news day in the U.S. but in Tehran and other major Iranian cities there was major rioting in response to the government's announcement that reformist candidate Mir Hossein Mousavi had lost the Presidential election by a landslide to incumbent Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
For whatever reason, mainstream U.S. news media gave the street insurrection against the Iranian etablishment only cursory coverage. Not to worry: Into the void, Twitter, the breaking news channel of choice, rode to the rescue of those wishing to follow developments in real-time.
It continues today. The mullahs who control Iran may have blocked all cellphone calls, Internet access, and media coverage, but they can't block Twitter. I've got six window open on my laptop as I key in these words, and they are all updating so rapidly that I could not possibly keep up with the action.
Here is a small sampling:
By comparison, all other forms of media seem, well, tired.
For whatever reason, mainstream U.S. news media gave the street insurrection against the Iranian etablishment only cursory coverage. Not to worry: Into the void, Twitter, the breaking news channel of choice, rode to the rescue of those wishing to follow developments in real-time.
It continues today. The mullahs who control Iran may have blocked all cellphone calls, Internet access, and media coverage, but they can't block Twitter. I've got six window open on my laptop as I key in these words, and they are all updating so rapidly that I could not possibly keep up with the action.
Here is a small sampling:
- jadi: We can hear shootings.. many shoots. People are still shouting Allaho Akbar and Down With Dictator and "Mousavi/Karroubi where is my vote?" Tehran 2 minutes ago from choqoK
- JomhuriyeIran: RT @nansen "The Revolution will be Twittered". http://bit.ly/xJxyc (expand) #Iranelection #CNNfail #FoxNewsFail #MSMfail Tehran 5 minutes ago from web
- mkhanjani: Now people loudly say "Alah o Akbar" (God is Great) from their home windows to show their protest againt cheating in election Tehran 7 minutes ago from web
- parhamdoustdar: Going out to join the croud, with my mother guiding me. I will fill you in on the details soon! Sit tight! #iranElection Tehran, Iran 13 minutes ago from web
- angry_lion: im going to take part in protests. i come back to the twitter if i would stay alive. Tehran, Iran 19 minutes ago from web
- Students & people fighting back a large group of police & Basij right now at university of physics! I'm going to join them. #iranelection
)By comparison, all other forms of media seem, well, tired.
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