Bloomberg's Premature Steve Jobs Obit: Why?

by: Larry Dignan August 28, 2008 | about stocks: AAPL    

Larry Dignan

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Bloomberg published an obituary for Apple CEO Steve Jobs after the closing bell on Wednesday and quickly retracted it. Amid all the rumors of Jobs’ and his pancreatic cancer, Bloomberg’s timing couldn’t have been worse. However, the Bloomberg incident may reveal that rumors about Jobs’ health are intensifying.

According to Gawker, Bloomberg published a 17-page obit for Jobs and a reader plucked it off of the terminal and sent it to the site. The report never made it online, but was transmitted over the Bloomberg terminal. Bloomberg is primarily transmitted to trading outfits and elsewhere via pricey terminals that are quite addictive to financial types.

Here’s a partial screengrab from Gawker, which has the full obit and sources for reporters.

gawker.png

Pre-written obits are nothing new in journalism. There are probably prefab obits flying around many newsrooms. The larger question is, why was Bloomberg trigger happy on Wednesday?

My hunch: Bloomberg decided to update the obit after hearing the latest round of rumors. How do I know? I’ve been hearing them too, but they are largely unsubstantiated. However, the drumbeat about Jobs’ health is picking up and it’s not just from quick trigger traders. All eyes will be on Jobs and whether he shows at Apple’s alleged September event to roll out new Macs and/or iPods. Until then–or until Apple and Jobs outline something better than he did for the New York Times–the rumor mill will continue to churn.

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This article has 15 comments:

  •  
    Aug 28 01:46 PM
    "–the rumor mill will continue to churn." With your help, of course.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 01:50 PM
    It appears to me that the lying, cheating, lowlife shorts are possibly at work here. There are no specific facts that S. Jobs has had a recurrence and for that matter that anything is seriously wrong with Jobs healthwise. Whoever put the article on the bloomberg terminal should be investigated buy the SEC (fraud) and FCC (wirefraud). I have contacted the SEC and FCC with all the articles I have read about this incident yesterday and today at:

    https://tts.sec.gov/ac...

    enforcement@fcc.gov,

    enforcement@sec.gov

    If you believe this situation occurred due to fraud, or something similar, you should contact the SEC and FCC.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 02:09 PM
    and this idiot keeps the gossip going... - now ain't your mama proud of her son the "journalist" ?
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 02:24 PM
    Thanks for the quick option buying opportunity. I keep telling you, Steve Jobs is being implanted in the SuperMac as we "speak". He will be the first person never to have an obituary.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 02:37 PM
    This article is a boldface lie. If there were any new rumors we would have heard them by now.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 02:40 PM
    I just wish Apple would quash these rumors because the stock will drop 10 points and when they are finally proven to be just rumors after all, the stock rebounds a point.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 02:47 PM
    RE: "...However, the drumbeat about Jobs’ health is picking up and it’s not just from quick trigger traders..."

    Joe Nocera of the New York Times reported that Jobs called him and told him EXACTLY what Jobs' health condition is, and that NO CANCER exists within Jobs.

    Jobs asked that Joe not divulge the private conversation, except to disclose that Jobs does NOT have cancer.

    =====================
    RE: "... round of rumors. How do I know? I’ve been hearing them too, ..."

    Jobs gave a DIRECT call and REPORTED his condition the this New York Times reporter.

    Obviously, you are NOT a journalist, since you cannot accept a report from a journalist that SPOKE DIRECTLY with Jobs.

    Since you prefer to spread rumors, your actual job must be RUMORMONGER.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 03:28 PM
    Brandon says "If there were any new rumors we would have heard them by now"

    There is a seemingly well founded rumor that Steve Jobs will present at an Apple Special Event in September.

    Will his appearance be less gaunt?

    I guess a lot of folks are preparing for either scenario.

    Meanwhile it is horrible that such pressures are put on the man
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 28 06:18 PM
    And Bloomberg's risen article will appear in three days. :)
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 29 01:46 AM
    Good god, people, do some research! Steve had a Whipple Procedure which removes much of your digestive tract. A common problem, is poor nutrient uptake. A common solution is a surgical procedure, like a reverse jejunem to slow digestion and increase nutrient uptake.

    Steve is virtually at the 5 year mark for his diagnosis, at which point he would be considered "cured". Cancer can be malignant or benign. The difference being the speed at which it is growing. At 5 years, recurrence by definition would be considered slow, and thus benign.

    This is a total NON-ISSUE. People need to stop rumormongering.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 29 08:04 AM
    Smiley Dignan stoops to a new low...The guy has no shame, or class.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 30 09:16 AM
    i think some HEDGE fund had hand in it who gained his 170 PUTS for 100-200% gain.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 30 10:10 AM
    Bloomberg is known for headlines using the words "may" is a NO NO for a "supposed' news agency. No one takes them serious
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 30 12:02 PM
    I'm intrigued by the "largely unsubstantiated" choice of words. Do you imply that there is anything in this rumor you CAN substantiate? Well, then you must tell exactly what you know and who your sources are, otherwise your reader has no choice but to conclude that you are a corrupt, unscrupulous liar.
    Reply | Link to Comment
  •  
    Aug 30 02:57 PM
    There is no such thing as a benign cancer. All cancers are malignant. Cancers can be more aggressive or less aggressive. Cancers also can be metastatic (outside of the original site) or not.
    Reply | Link to Comment
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