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Contents 1 Unsourced material removed 1.1 Controversy 1.1.1 St. Louis Helicopter Hijack Attempt 1.2 Over Airing during the late 90's? 1.3 Fair use rationale for Image:Update Dateline.jpg

[edit] Unsourced material removed

Since the following info cries out for sources, and because it's been so tagged for 6 months, I removed it. Feel free to re-insert it when sources are provided in a manner concsistent with WP:CITE. Quadzilla99 05:14, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

Note I don't doubt that any of it is true, just that material like this needs thorough sourcing Quadzilla99 05:17, 1 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Controversy

This article does not cite any references or sources. (October 2006) Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

On November 17, 1992, Dateline NBC aired an investigative report about General Motors pickup trucks allegedly exploding upon impact during accidents due to poor design of fuel tanks. Although there were fuel tank design problems with GM cars before, Dateline's film showed a sample of a low speed accident with the fuel tank exploding. In reality, Dateline NBC producers had rigged the truck with remotely detonated explosives. The program did not disclose the fact that the accident was staged. GM investigators studied the film, and discovered that smoke actually came out of the fuel tank a split-second before impact. GM subsequently filed an anti-defamation lawsuit against NBC after conducting an extensive investigation. On February 18, 1993 GM conducted a highly publicized (view broadcast in 1993 section of GM 1990s history) point-by-point rebuttal that lasted nearly two hours after announcing the lawsuit. The lawsuit was quickly settled by NBC, and Jane Pauley read an apology on the program.

The following Dateline NBC producers were dismissed: Jeff Diamond, executive producer; David Rummel, senior producer; and Robert Read, producer of the report on the pickups. Michele Gillen, the reporter involved in the segment, was transferred to Miami station WTVJ. Michael G. Gartner, president of the news division, resigned under pressure.

Although the incident was staged it inspired many^{[citation needed]} highly publicized lawsuits, and GM greatly reduced the fuel capacity of their trucks as a result^{[citation needed]}. The family featured in the segment, who lost a son after a GM truck caught fire, won their lawsuit against the company. The publicity also drove other automotive companies to make similar changes^{[citation needed]}. Aftermarket fuel tank producers lost sales^{[citation needed]}. Today it's almost impossible^{[citation needed]} to improve a truck's fuel range by adding a tank that is designed to be mounted under the vehicle.

Dateline NBC was perceived as quickly returning to business-as-usual in a May 4, 1993 piece titled "Cataract Cowboys" in which Brian Ross claimed that doctors unnecessarily performed surgery on elderly patients. The controversy brought into question techniques used such as disregarding evidence that contradicts a story's premise and using planted accomplices to entrap targets of the story. NBC claimed vindication when Southeastern Eye Center dropped their lawsuit over the story.

"To Catch a Predator" is argued to be unjournalistic in that it makes news, rather than reports it, and effectively makes a news organization into an agency of law enforcement. "To Catch a Predator" has sought to effect the arrest of men who have conversations on the internet with law enforcement officials posing as teenagers under the age of consent, regardless of whether the men actually attempt to meet the would-be "children" or not. In February 2007, a man who fell victim to "To Catch a Predator" committed suicide when TV crews and police went to his home to arrest him^{[citation needed]} (the man had not attempted to meet with the supposed victim).

The date was 1993 and here is the article: http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9F0CE7D81F39F93AA2575BC0A965958260 --70.126.236.103 10:54, 5 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] St. Louis Helicopter Hijack Attempt

This is very dubious. The only sources are the same website, and they are some small-time aviation news blog, which is clearly biased toward pilots. I highly doubt an attempt as serious as described would be allowed to disappear with no charges filed after a "full" response. The original contributor is clearly biased toward pilots. I have serious doubts the incident described ever happened. If nobody can find any sources OUTSIDE OF AVIATION MEDIA within one month I will delete this entire section as unverified pro-aviation garbage. --74.136.119.89 06:49, 10 September 2007 (UTC)

What was that? Nothing yet? I thought so. 74.136.119.89 05:20, 24 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Over Airing during the late 90's?

Shouldn't this article at least mention that the show ran nearly every night of the week during the late 90's? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.115.123.89 (talk) 04:06, 17 January 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Fair use rationale for Image:Update Dateline.jpg

Image:Update Dateline.jpg is being used on this article. I notice the image page specifies that the image is being used under fair use but there is no explanation or rationale as to why its use in this Wikipedia article constitutes fair use. In addition to the boilerplate fair use template, you must also write out on the image description page a specific explanation or rationale for why using this image in each article is consistent with fair use.

Please go to the image description page and edit it to include a fair use rationale. Using one of the templates at Wikipedia:Fair use rationale guideline is an easy way to insure that your image is in compliance with Wikipedia policy, but remember that you must complete the template. Do not simply insert a blank template on an image page.

If there is other fair use media, consider checking that you have specified the fair use rationale on the other images used on this page. Note that any fair use images lacking such an explanation can be deleted one week after being tagged, as described on criteria for speedy deletion. If you have any questions please ask them at the Media copyright questions page. Thank you.

BetacommandBot (talk) 02:44, 12 February 2008 (UTC)