GoPro hit hard by bad journalism
Google "GoPro and Schumacher" today and you'll be submerged by articles blaming the camera for Schumacher's injuries. This uproar caused a 10% drop in GoPro share prices.Basically it sucks to be GoPro today. But it really should not.
Questions about the role a helmet cam may have played in the skiing accident, came up this past February but this latest furor started last week with an article in Italy's Gazzetta Dello Sport. It reported on what French F1 journalist Jean Louis Moncet claimed in a radio interview.
Here is the actual interview, a quick google search away. The relevant bit is at 6:22
Jules Bianchi : la F1 est-elle un sport... by Europe1fr
So what did Moncet say? Asked if he had any news of Schumcher, Montcet says
"I have news of Schumacher, I saw his son very recently and he's (Schumacher) waking up slowly. But you know, Schumacher, for him it was not the shock, it was the pillar of the GoPro he had on his helmet which pierced his brain. So he's waking slowly, he's at his home and there he has his whole life ahead of him to get better."
Those four lines have been elevated online to a "new report". It is interesting to note that the actual accident investigation ruled out the camera as being a factor in Schumacher injury. He hit the rock with the side of his head, skiers mostly mount cameras in the middle of the helmet.
More to the point Moncet, in a tweet, basically said he was just talking out his butt on that radio interview.
STOP ALL SPECULATION. I say I saw Mic Schumacher, I dont say where, I dont say I talk with him or I did an interview with him. Clear ? #F1
— Jean Louis Moncet (@moncet) October 13, 2014
OK, so everyone from Gawker to Business Insider to the NYPost to Autoblog all just repeated what they read somewhere, without even the minimum of checking on this new "report" and GoPro's stock tanked.
It sucks to be GoPro today.
Don't you just love sensationalist/clickbait journalism?
ReplyDeleteI help run a facebook page that has a pretty good amount of likes and activity, but we don't do clickbait or paid ads. It leaves a bad taste in my mouth and many times like this report, it is irresponsible. Sure, Facebook buries our posts a lot since we don't do paid advertising to push our stuff up, but it's more legitimate as far as the amount of reach we get.
Mounting a gopro on the side of your helmet just doesn't sound logical as well. Up top or just above the edge of the helmet where it meets the visor would be best.
They really should just let the Schumacher family work through this in peace.
The interesting thing is that back in February there were reports asking if his GoPro was responsible, but no one picked up on it: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/motorsport/formulaone/michael-schumacher/10640839/Michael-Schumacher-skiing-crash-did-helmet-camera-cause-head-injuries.html
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