BBC, other media report death of U.S. singer Phil Everly – Where is VOA?

BBG Watch Commentary

LATEST UPDATE: As of 11:15 AM ET, Sat. The BBC report on the death of Phil Everly has increased the number of Facebook “Likes” to 10,599. That is a Facebook social media gain of about 7,000 “Likes” in the last 12 hours. The number of Tweets for BBC report is now 1,946.

UPDATE: As of 3 AM ET, Saturday, Jan. 4, Reuters report on VOA English site on the death of Phil Everly, with no images or video as of this time, posted late — at least four hours after Los Angeles Times and three to four hours after BBC and other media outlets had posted their original stories– still shows only 7 (seven) Facebook “Likes” and 6 (six) Tweets for this late-posted news on VOA site and without any original VOA content.

Original BBC report on the story with two videos has increased its social media statistics by 3 AM ET to 3,048 Facebook “Likes and 1,344 Tweets. It is now the second most read news item on the BBC site.

UPDATE: Between midnight and 12:30 AM ET, Saturday, VOA English website finally posted, not its own report, but a report from Reuters on the death of Phil Everly. As of 12:30 AM ET, this Reuters report is showing 0 (zero) Facebook “Likes” and 0 (zero) Tweets on the VOA site. By now (12:50 AM ET, Saturday), the BBC report shows 1,970 Facebook “Likes” and 1,137 Tweets. As of now, the VOA site shows no photos or videos to illustrate the report. BBC has one video of the Everly Brothers singing and a video of a guitarist and friend Duane Eddy who said that the death of Phil Everly is “a huge blow.”

UPDATE: Midnight ET – As of midnight, ET, Saturday, January 4, Voice of America English website still has no news about the death of U.S. musician Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers.

UPDATE: As of 11:50 PM ET, BBC news report, “US musician Phil Everly dies aged 74” is showing 1,559 Facebook “Likes” and 905 Tweets. Voice of America English website is still not reporting this news.

One of VOA’s top “Arts & Entertainment” news reports listed on its English homepage is not from VOA but from Reuters and has been on the VOA website since yesterday. As of 11:50 PM ET Friday, this Reuters item on the VOA site, “Beyonce Tops US Billboard Album Chart for 3rd Straight Week,” shows 8 (eight) Facebook “Likes” and 8 (eight) Tweets. VOA’s top “Arts & Entertainment” news report is: “’12 Years a Slave,’ ‘Gravity’ Up for Producers Guild Awards.” It is also from Reuters. It shows 7 (seven) Facebook “Likes and 9 (nine) Tweets.

BBC and other international and U.S. media outlets report that U.S. musician Phil Everly, one half of the Everly Brothers, has died, aged 74, in California, his wife Patti says.

“US musician Phil Everly dies aged 74,” BBC, 3 January 2014 Last updated at 21:37 ET.

The BBC report shows as of 11:00 PM ET that it was last updated at 9:37 ET. It was posted even earlier on Friday.

By 11:00 PM ET it was the fifth most read news report on the BBC English website. By 11:50 PM ET, the BBC report showed 1,559 Facebook “Likes.”

The Los Angeles Times website had a report posted already Friday at 7:34 PM ET, (5:34 PM LA). Los Angeles Times wrote that “the most revered vocal duo of the rock-music era” … “profoundly influenc[ed] the Beatles, the Beach Boys, the Byrds and countless younger-generation rock, folk and country singers.”

See: “Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers dies at 74,” by Randy Lewis, Los Angeles Times January 3, 2014, 5:34 p.m. PT

As of 11:00PM ET there is still not a word on Phil Everly’s death on the Voice of America English website and websites of VOA’s more than 40 other language services.

Some of the duo’s biggest hits include “Wake Up Little Susie,” “All I Have To Do Is Dream” and “Cathy’s Clown.” The Everly Brothers broke up in 1973, but reunited 10 years later. In 1986, they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In 2001, the duo entered the Country Music Hall of Fame. The Everly Brothers’ 1958 recording of “All I Have To Do Is Dream” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. In 2005, Varese Sarabande Records released two Everly Brothers compilations, “Too Good To Be True” and “Give Me A Future.”

VOA English website is not only slow in posting arts and entertainment news. This section has not been updated on the VOA English homepage for at least a day. VOA English website is also often hours behind other media in posting and updating political news. VOA sometimes fails to report on major news events, even U.S. domestic and U.S. foreign policy related news.

This is another recent example reported by BBG Watch: “New Year’s Message for Ukraine from Quincy Jones — New Year’s Demonstration in Turkey — But Nothing From Voice of America,” BBG Watch.

Where is VOA when it comes to U.S. political and cultural news?

As of 11:50 PM ET, BBC news report, “US musician Phil Everly dies aged 74” is showing 1,559 Facebook “Likes” and 905 Tweets.

One of VOA’s top “Arts & Entertainment” news reports listed on its English homepage is not from VOA but from Reuters and has been on the VOA website since yesterday. As of 11:50 PM ET Friday, this Reuters item on the VOA site, “Beyonce Tops US Billboard Album Chart for 3rd Straight Week,” shows 8 (eight) Facebook “Likes” and 8 (eight) Tweets.

UPDATE: The death of Phil Everly of the Everly Brothers is generating such a strong news interest around the world that in just a few minutes since BBG Watch posted this report, it has had over 375 views.

UPDATE: Between midnight and 12:30 AM ET, Saturday, VOA English website finally posted, not its own report, but a report from Reuters on the death of Phil Everly. As of 12:30 AM ET, this Reuters report is showing 0 (zero) Facebook “Likes” and 0 (zero) Tweets on the VOA site.

LATEST UPDATE: As of 11:15 AM ET, Sat. The BBC report on the death of Phil Everly has increased the number of Facebook “Likes” to 10,599. That is a Facebook social media gain of about 7,000 “Likes” in the last 12 hours. The number of Tweets for BBC report is now 1,946.