The Associated Press sent a “Flash” alert to members Thursday about Nelson Mandela’s death. Such alerts are used “on the rare occasion when an APNewsAlert represents a transcendent development — one likely to be a top story of the year,” the AP Stylebook says.
- People light a candle for former president Nelson Mandela on hearing of his death outside his home in Johannesburg, South Africa, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2013. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
Flashes are rare. In the last two years, AP spokesperson Paul Colford tells Poynter in an email, they were sent perhaps six times — among them, for the election of Pope Francis, Pope Benedict’s resignation, President Obama’s reelection. Classic AP Flashes include the collapse of each of the Twin Towers in 2001 and the moon landing in 1969.
For you news junkies: On #Mandela‘s death, @AP sent a FLASH. Not many of those: man on moon, JFK slain, Twin Towers collapse.
— Bill Kole (@billkole) December 5, 2013
On the old teletype machines, Flashes were signaled by bells — 12 for AP, 10 for UPI. When they pealed, “it was like God clearing His throat,” Mike Harden once wrote.
In other media reaction, The New Yorker quickly announced a Mandela cover.
Next week’s @NewYorker cover, honoring Nelson Mandela: pic.twitter.com/7pf3YWlySD via @RealAdrianC
— Rubina Madan Fillion (@rubinafillion) December 5, 2013
More Mandela:
- The Huffington Post put together a look at Mandela’s life told through media, like newspaper fronts on the day he was released from prison.
- Mandela never said “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate, our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.” So stop tweeting that.
- Lynne Duke’s byline is on The Washington Post’s Mandela obituary. She died earlier this year, and covered Mandela’s release and presidency.
- The New York Times interviewed Mandela for his obituary:
When the question was put to Mr. Mandela in an interview for this obituary in 2007 — after such barbarous torment, how do you keep hatred in check? — his answer was almost dismissive: Hating clouds the mind. It gets in the way of strategy. Leaders cannot afford to hate.
- Paris Hilton did not confuse Mandela with Martin Luther King. Nikki Finke did, however, tweet this.
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Wow. Just saw the NYT layout/design staffers draw up a new front page for Mandela news. It’s beautiful. pic.twitter.com/7Owj61CkWh
— carolynryan (@carolynryan) December 5, 2013
Related: Learning from Mandela: On Going Beyond the Obvious Goal | Learning from Mandela: On Showing Emotion in the Newsroom | Learning from Mandela: On Getting to Know Those You Lead | Learning from Mandela: On Leading without Permission
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