Over a million copies of this edition of the New York Times was passed out by volunteers today. Too bad the headline, "Iraq War Ends" isn't true... yet. The newspaper, which was dated July 4, 2009, was handed out for free by volunteers around New York city Wednesday morning.
The paper "imagines a liberal utopia of national health care, a rebuilt economy, progressive taxation, a national oil fund to study climate change, and other goals of progressive politics," according to the NYTimes blog.
A few hours after being handed out at subway stops and busy areas around NYC, liberal pranksters 'Yes Man' announced that the 14-page newspapers were made by them.
"In an elaborate operation six months in the planning, 1.2 million papers were printed at six different presses and driven to prearranged pickup locations, where thousands of volunteers stood ready to pass them out on the street," Poynter.org says.
Pranksters also made a look-a-like webpage.
Viral Newspapers Hoaxes
1.2 Million 'New York Times' Fakes Handed Out
Trend Themes
1. Fake News - The rise of fake news continues to damage the credibility of media and present opportunities to develop technologies capable of detecting and preventing it.
2. Activist Marketing - Pranks and hoaxes reflecting political ideologies may attract the support of activists and present opportunities for brands to engage with these groups through targeted marketing campaigns.
3. Alternative Media Outlets - The success of activist hoaxes and fake news may further the development of alternative media outlets and journalistic efforts to counter mainstream narratives.
Industry Implications
1. Journalism - Journalism must develop strategies to counteract the proliferation of fake news and become more resilient against the spread of hoax stories.
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3. Digital Media - Digital media outlets must strike a balance between responsible journalism and the need for clicks and engagement to remain profitable and appeal to audiences' preferences.