Photo Finish

This morning TMZ picked up details about Debbie Rowe's visit to Forest Lawn Glendale yesterday from a thread started by Jessicathx on the Michael Jackson Hoax Death website. The thread began with a re-posted eyewitness account written by Erin Jacobs from another forum and subsequently included two photos from Facebook.

One of the photos was mine, a mobile upload posted yesterday afternoon to my own FB. It has since been removed from my FB, replaced instead with other watermarked photos and disclaimers in the follow up story I posted last night to my blog, on Twitter and FB -- before any mainstream media had it. In any case, Jessica noted on the thread that she found the photos on a FB group but didn't provide a link to her source.

As a result, TMZ sourced the story and photos to MJHD. Since I worked into the wee hours of the morning, I pretty much slept through shit hitting the fan at daybreak. Thankfully, Erin took the lead and immediately alerted TMZ to the origin of the materials. Once she did, three different TMZ staff members contacted me in an effort to make things right:

BEFORE AND AFTER

This is not just a case of giving credit where credit is due, although admittedly that's an important element.

This was also important to pursue because TMZ readers were being re-directed to speculation on a chat board written by people who weren't there, rather than to a primary source written and photographed by someone who was. An incorrect credit link just wasn't helpful in telling the story, nor did it do Debbie justice.

A lot of people have expressed various opinions on today's events and overall accountability in reporting. Here's my bottom line:

I have nothing against MJHD and think it was a case of all-around improper netiquette, not malice. I find their site to be interesting, despite the fact that I believe Michael is, sadly, dead.  But overall, I don't mind people using my images, as long as linkbacks are provided. Unfortunately, that doesn't always happen so I've had to resort to watermarking newsworthy images.

Since this all happened, The Insider has posted pap coverage of Debbie's time at Forest Lawn yesterday. Their materials were licensed by Splash. People have asked if I sold any of my images. I did not, although I was contacted by Splash and other agencies with offers, all of which were declined.

Thank you to Debbie Rowe for being you, Erin and the gang at Justice4MJ who helped this morning, as well as everyone at TMZ for your prompt professionalism.

Comments

[ChargerBill]

Justice is yours!

Thanks again Lisa for all your hard work.

[Steve G]

Bravo, Lisa!!

[Angela "survivingangel" Ivani]

Lisa, my apologies to you and other members of MJFSC. I questioned motives and it was presented that you gave the photos to TMZ not that they were taken from your page. I am glad that Debbie was there with fans and surrounded by love. I am ashamed to say that as an MJ fan I became a Tabloid Junkie for a moment. Won't happen again. Have a great weekend.

[Lisa Burks]

Thank you for your comments, Ivani, they are very much appreciated. It's difficult to sort out the gossip from the facts but I believe it's well worth the effort and will always do my part to help people understand the difference. Thanks again and I hope you have a great weekend, too! :)

[Red_In_Phoenix]

Thank you for posts Lisa. You write so beautifully and you really helped to spur on the love fest for Debbie Rowe, something that I think has been long overdue. I just love you Lisa!

I think we could all change the world if we just agreed to choose love over hate and just love one another more. Hasn't that been Michael's message all along?

L.O.V.E. for you today Lisa! Thanks again!

[Jessica Ball (jessicakthx)]

I'm the poster from MJHD and I would like to, yet again, defend myself. Firstly, there are links provided in the post I made. The links go back exactly to the place where I found the pictures. I never intentionally stole pictures from you, as your name was not even mentioned at the place the pictures were found. Defending myself does not mean I don't REGRET these actions. However, hundreds of topics are posted on these forums everyday and I never would have thought TMZ would pick up something I posted. I posted it a few minutes before going to bed and woke up to a TON of backlash.

Stealing your photographs was never my intent and I apologize for it. Also disrespect to Debbie was never my intent, either. I think she is a great woman, very strong and respectable.

[Lisa Burks]

Thanks, Jessica. I'm not accusing anyone of stealing and there is no need to apologize. I got a lot of emails asking what happened so I needed to spell it out here to clear the air.

I wrote in this post that no link was given when the photos were posted because I saw none with the original posting of the photos on the thread at the time I saw it (the thread has since been locked down,) I only saw the photos and this additional/edited comment you had written:

"ETA: These pictures came from a facebook group which I did not even have to JOIN to get the pictures. Reading the TMZ comments with people flipping out over these "STOLEN" pics is ridiculous. If you don't want it seen everywhere, either keep it to yourself or only give it to people you trust. No shit Sherlock?" Last edited by jessicakthx on Thu Mar 04, 2010 9:02 pm, edited 1 time in total.

People post photos all the time, I completely understand that. As I said, just trying to clear the air and answer to people who have questioned me.

Thank you again for your feedback here, much appreciated! Have a great weekend! :)

[Jessica Ball (jessicakthx)]

Thank you for understanding! I have a lot of people angry with me over this which I feel is unfair. I also want to be clear and say that the additional comment on the post was definitely not directed at you!

I do still have the original messages from a TMZ person in which I told them I wasn't there and directed them to that Facebook group for any questions they had. I made sure they knew the pictures weren't mine, nor was the story. I'm glad they sourced you eventually - had I realized they came from you I definitely would have told them.

I wanted to clear the air too, I don't want a whole bunch of people angry with me!

I really appreciate this blog and all of you who visit Forest Lawn on a regular basis for those of us who cannot.

Once again, thank you for understanding. And thank you for all you do, it does not go unappreciated!

[Lisa Burks]

Honey if anyone is mad at you, direct them to this page so they can see it's all good; people need to let it go, lol. Thank YOU and keep up the good work on MJHD, very interesting reading and food for thought. :)

[Erin]

Lisa,
Here is my take on this..welcome to Michael's life. You never know who you can trust, you never know who your real friends are and the media sucks!!

So glad you are my friend and such an important member of our group.

L.O.V.E