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2016: The Smiler Reopening

Will you ride in 2016?

  • Yes

    Votes: 147 94.8%
  • No

    Votes: 8 5.2%

  • Total voters
    155
I could copy and paste this from all the other times I've said the same thing in this thread, but I'll retype it as I wait for the kettle to boil.

Firstly, I agree with people who are suggesting that it is wrong for media outlets to report things that are incorrect. If someone is stuck upside down, say that. If they're stuck on the vertical lift on their backs, say that. But - and this is important, each of those outlets doesn't have someone at Alton Towers each and everyday, nor do they dispatch a field reporter to the park each time they print one of these stories. They rely on people are witnesses to the (non)-event.

Secondly, where I don't agree are the people that suggest that this kind of stuff shouldn't be printed due to their emotional attachment to the park or (I assume less so, the ride). In addition, the people that write this stuff aren't roller coaster enthusiasts or experts, nor should they be. They don't know what constitutes normal operation and when something is a thing, or not. They don't know what a blocking system is etc.

News is whatever people want to hear about. Yesterday, every British broadcast media ran or led with the story about the Samsung Note 7 being recalled, despite the fact it's only available for pre-order. But, it's Samsung - millions of people have a stake in, or a connection to that brand. Just like they do with Alton Towers and the Smiler.

This whole thing is made more frustrating because Merlin have courted the media very effectively for a long time and now it's backfiring. In addition, Merlin have been ever so slightly economical with the truth with certain things when it comes to stoppages and the like (as most companies are).

If you want a controlled press and media, Pyongyang is for you.
 
I don't think anyone wants a controlled media (well at least I certainly don't). But I just can't accept the argument that journalists aren't experts so therefore should be expected to make mistakes. As a freelance writer, I've had to write about things I had very little prior knowledge of - it doesn't take long to do some very basic research, even when up against a tight deadline. Getting things so fundamentally wrong to the point where it creates a false representation of what actually happened is unacceptable in my opinion.

There is obviously still an interest in the accident so I'm not necessarily blaming the media for reporting the story, but I doubt there was such a demand that major news outlets needed to report it as a "breaking news" story. There are issues the public are far more concerned about than The Smiler.
Basically, the media went off the back of a few tweets and pictures, and then in an entirely reactionary way, rushed out an article without paying any real attention to the actual details. It's sloppy journalism whichever way you look at it.

As for Merlin not being very transparent regarding ride closures - few theme parks are. I find it very rare to ever be told the reason a ride is down beyond the standard "technical difficulties". It's not always in the park's best interest to give the exact reason the ride is having difficulties. Although I do appreciate that, where the media are concerned, this may make it appear that the park is hiding something.
 
Whist it's important that we have free media, it also needs to be accountable and be able to provide evidence as to why it's true and the subject of an article to be able to challenge what they think is incorrect reporting or lies.
A media that prints lies and sensationalist nonsense is no better than one censored by the state.
 
This is definitely sloppy journalism as I could easily work out the position of the riders with just 5 minutes research. In my opinion I don't have a problem that the story was published but I do with the extent it was and the factual inaccuracies involved.

To be fair to merlin if they were to announce to the queue line that the smiler is currently closed due to the restraints not locking properly or as the breaks will not engage it would cause panic
 
What really gets my goat is all this talk and reporting from media and certain victims of the crash stating that the ride is somehow "unsafe". It wasn't a ride fault that caused the crash, in fact the ride did exactly what it was meant to do, stopping itself to avoid a crash. It was HUMAN ERROR that caused it!!!

Partaking in geekery since 1985
 
This is definitely sloppy journalism as I could easily work out the position of the riders with just 5 minutes research. In my opinion I don't have a problem that the story was published but I do with the extent it was and the factual inaccuracies involved.
I guess that's the basis of my point. Having (I assume) a good knowledge of the ride, the layout and its operations, it took you five minutes to work out what's going on. Someone who has never visited the park, never been on a roller coaster, maybe - has to make the same call in a split second.

There is always a demand for instant information, whether you're a 24 hours new station or a website. That's just the way it works.
The news media should be/ have 3 thing.
1. unbiased
2. Factually correct
3. The freedom to report articles that fit 1&2
I appreciate this is suggested as the utopia option, but you're living in a dream world thinking that is the way it would work in real terms. Why would anyone buy a media outlet if they couldn't use it to manipulate the viewer/readership.
 
I guess that's the basis of my point. Having (I assume) a good knowledge of the ride, the layout and its operations, it took you five minutes to work out what's going on. Someone who has never visited the park, never been on a roller coaster, maybe - has to make the same call in a split second.

There is always a demand for instant information, whether you're a 24 hours new station or a website. That's just the way it works.

I appreciate this is suggested as the utopia option, but you're living in a dream world thinking that is the way it would work in real terms. Why would anyone buy a media outlet if they couldn't use it to manipulate the viewer/readership.
I get what you're saying and they definitely want the story instantly but watching one pov and you would know the orientation of the riders or even to do a Google search you would find a picture of the riders orientation instead of just guessing they would be upside down. I don't expect them to be coaster expert (ulthough then it would probably take them longer since they aren't) but I do expect the media to be at least close to accurate instead of even the headline being a lie.
 
I guess that's the basis of my point. Having (I assume) a good knowledge of the ride, the layout and its operations, it took you five minutes to work out what's going on. Someone who has never visited the park, never been on a roller coaster, maybe - has to make the same call in a split second.

There is always a demand for instant information, whether you're a 24 hours new station or a website. That's just the way it works.

I appreciate this is suggested as the utopia option, but you're living in a dream world thinking that is the way it would work in real terms. Why would anyone buy a media outlet if they couldn't use it to manipulate the viewer/readership.

But like I addressed in my previous post, it isn't difficult to get very basic information correct, even when up against a deadline and as a total coaster novice.
And besides, they don't need to be an expert on coasters to be able to use their eyes and see for themselves that no one was stuck upside down - it's clear from the Twitter pictures that prompted the articles in the first place. They chose to state upside down to create more hysteria and interest.
 
Let's keep it short. Most modern day journalists appear to be lazy, scum or incompetent. Many are all 3. The internet has significantly contributed to this. The word journalist shouldn't even be attributed to 90% of those who claim to be it. These will be the ones who only have the minor task of copy and pasting a few pic's, googling a bit of info and then deciphering what's happening in a photo. The new breed can't even do this properly, let alone actually being able to be grammatically correct. Yes, we all know that they're there to sensasionalize things in order to attract more readers, advertising etc, but you can do that without getting the facts significantly incorrect. Actually, I didn't keep it that short ;)
 
Let's keep it short. Most modern day journalists appear to be lazy, scum or incompetent. Many are all 3. The internet has significantly contributed to this. The word journalist shouldn't even be attributed to 90% of those who claim to be it. These will be the ones who only have the minor task of copy and pasting a few pic's, googling a bit of info and then deciphering what's happening in a photo. The new breed can't even do this properly, let alone actually being able to be grammatically correct. Yes, we all know that they're there to sensasionalize things in order to attract more readers, advertising etc, but you can do that without getting the facts significantly incorrect. Actually, I didn't keep it that short ;)
Whos worse though the Media outlets that insist on getting articles out there as quickly as possible and in order to get max hits and more advertising income, the journalists who go along with it and refuse to stand up for quality press and news, the readers who lap up poor quality news and don't question it or the Government who don't make the media more accountable for what they print?
 
Whos worse though the Media outlets that insist on getting articles out there as quickly as possible and in order to get max hits and more advertising income, the journalists who go along with it and refuse to stand up for quality press and news, the readers who lap up poor quality news and don't question it or the Government who don't make the media more accountable for what they print?

Quite obviously, as I'm sure you're suggesting, they're all as bad as each other on some, or many, levels. They all have choices, but choose to act in their own interests, instead of the good of the commonwealth. Apart from thick people, who are just thick.
 
Quite obviously, as I'm sure you're suggesting, they're all as bad as each other on some, or many, levels. They all have choices, but choose to act in their own interests, instead of the good of the commonwealth. Apart from thick people, who are just thick.
Yep, it was more a rhetorical question haha.
I guess the best thing we can do as would be consumers is just ignore trash news (as has been previously stated).
 
Just timed myself. Took me 33 seconds to find the smilers Wikipedia page (and that was on my slow Internet and being distracted by this headline). It might not be the most accurate source of information, but anyone could easily find basic information about the ride (or the definition of vertical lift hill).

I understand that they have deadlines and need to get it published quickly, but surely they could sacrifice a minute to make it factually correct.
 
I don't think anyone's worried - it's just annoying. All this shows is how badly the media is run and how gullible a lot of people who read the stories are.
 
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