Herald Sun Too Weak To Admit Screw Up

Much hilarity ensued tonight when the Herald Sun apparently “inadvertently” revealed the winner of the Gold Logie award.

At 11:40pm, they released a statement:

“At no time did the Herald Sun publish the name of the winner on its website, iPad app or in Twitter.”

Oh really? What about this screen capture at 10:08pm?

Sure looks like you published the name to me!

Of course, the statement goes on to blame Google:

“However, during the live testing, a link to an embargoed story naming the winner was momentarily created and published by Google.”

Seriously Herald Sun, just have the balls to admit you screwed up! You’d look a lot better right now if you weren’t inventing a very weak cover story.

Fail.

UPDATE: The original URL – (now broken) – was here.

UPDATE: Simon Pristel, editor of the Herald Sun has made further statement this morning:

“It turns out that Google had somehow searched into our system and found the story that was published in the paper but had never been published on the website and ninemsn.com.au – which is the official website of Channel 9, the broadcaster – has run it up fully on their website.”

Is Simon actually saying that Google can now read the actual printed newspaper – which wouldn’t have been on the presses yet?

Google can search physical newspapers that haven’t been printed yet?

And you know, it WAS on their website.

Give it up Herald Sun. You’re digging a bigger hole for yourself, and looking stupider and stupider all the time.

As stated by Mark Newton, it’s pretty simple:

“”Google somehow searched into our system.” No @theheraldsun, you put it on your website and they indexed it. #liars #logies #notcomplicated”