How did TMZ become the go-to source for breaking "news"?

In My Humble Opinion
1

As news broke today of Junior Seau’s passing, it seemed to me as if the best source for the up-to-the-minute early updates was the TMZ website, and I believe they had some of the first “on-site” photos.

And it doesn’t seem like that’s the first time it’s happened - it felt to me like immediately after Michael Jackson’s death, that TMZ was the first with “troops on the ground”. And during the whole Charlie Sheen phase, it seemed as if they were the primary source for the “breaking news”.

How do you think they do it? Perhaps CNN, the networks, etc., didn’t see the point in being first to break the Charlie Sheen story, but they sure did a damn good job of reporting on it constantly, in the days and weeks afterwards. Perhaps it’s just me, but it sure seems like you hear a lot of “TMZ is reporting that…” when something like this breaks. I guess I’d be less surprised if that was replaced with more “CNN is reporting that…”.

2

Because CNN and a few other major news sources still have some shreds of dignity left?

They will report on stuff, but thankfully, they don’t feel like they need to compete with a trashy celebrity gossip site for breaking “news”.

3

Yes. The Huffington Post lists TMZ among ABC News, Los Angeles Times, The New York Times, Politico, and The Washington Post as news sources.

It says something about TMZ and celebrity news.

4

They pay their sources, and presumably, protect their identities.

5

Disclaimer: This is going purely off of my own recollections and I do not have a cite.

I believe the reason TMZ was the first to break the news of Michael Jackson’s death is because its verification guidelines are not as strict as that of more reputable news sources such as CNN. If this is true, this could very well be the answer to the larger question posed in the OP. TMZ became the go-to source for breaking news because their lower standards for verification allows them to break news while other news sources are still in the process of verifying the stories they get wind of.

6

Because they’re freakin’ stalkers, that’s why. They’re creepy, privacy-invading, no-respect-for-boundaries stalkers.

7

While I don’t disagree, they would have no reason to exist if people would stop caring so much about celebrity BS.

8

Borderline-sleazy news outlets like TMZ exist because there is a demand for what they supply.

**Q: **What’s the difference between a stalker and a diligent reporter?
**A: **There’s a difference?

9

Of course, they are the source for breaking news only for a certain type of story: Something to do with celebrities. You wouldn’t turn to them for the latest on a natural disaster in Japan, an update on the elections in France, or even for a story about a shooting in the next town.