TMZ's Harvey Levin On Jackson Scoop: "We Just Beat Everybody On This One... Too Bad, So Sad" (VIDEO)

TMZ scooped the traditional media when it broke the news of Michael Jackson's death, and has been steadily earning more respect as it forges its own path among the mainstream media. CNN's Don Lemon interviewed TMZ founder Harvey Levin about his ambitious media company and their big scoop.

Lemon: You broke the story before the time of death from the coroner.

Harvey: Well, before it was officially announced. We really knew this significantly before even what was going on, but this was, you know, crossing every t. We were positive when we put it up. We put it up when we were 100% positive.

Asked by Lemon how he feels when mainstream outlets rely on TMZ reporting and yet are reluctant to cite or link to him, Levin dismisses the question as one he's not interested in. He says his only interest is in the story:

I think what happened is that again we just beat everybody on this one. And there are people who feel like wow we should have gotten that. Well, too bad, so sad.

Lemon on Sunday went on CNN's Reliable Sources to defend the extensive coverage of Michael Jackson's death, calling critics "elitist" and Jackson an "accidental civil rights leader."

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Comments

[Okieborn]

Alec Baldwin was exactly right !!
This Harvey Levin guy is a deluxe jerk !!

[harriettubman]

Alec Baldwin can't stand him after he played that message he left on his daughter's machine. He spoke badly about Levin on The View.

[Nivekian]

Yay, the Stalkers/ Peeping Tom's got a story about another celeb overdose...

Oh wait, Michael Jackson? Oh noes, now it teh important!

[Skwege]

Say what you want about Harvey Levin. He has never used his "news" site to propagate a lie that led us to war.

[John Horner]

Why are reporters so obsessed about being first to report a story which everyone is going to carry soon enough? I can understand being obsessed about getting a big story which would otherwise never come to light except for the skill and persistence of a reporter. But, being first to say what very soon everyone will be saying? Who cares?

[pickwickianmom]

All I can say is you've never worked in a newsroom.

[harriettubman]

Because that use to what network news was all about. Now the major news stations can't keep up with cable. You see they sent their reporters to L.A. today instead of keeping them anchored.

[kappa08]

who cares?...what does that mean? you have more parasitic narcs out there than everybody else. "Ladies" do us all a favor and stop buying this crap our culture could use a wash....

[pickwickianmom]

Thanks for pointing out that "ladies" are destroying our culture. Maybe you saw some tabloids next to "Better Homes and Gardens" at the grocery checkout. Maybe you believe only men read real news and science magazines.
Perhaps you need to expand your perimeters past the grocery store. Just a thought.

[Andy Harris]

Here's A Live News Report From Heaven With Michael Jackson!

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/4632574182/live-from-heaven-michael-jackson

[maisnon55]

that is sweet, though I don't know anything about Andy Harris' humor....thank you, Andy, I like to think of Michael as being in heaven though I do not believe in heaven..........I like to think that he is in a good place, a good reincarnation!

[AntiSheep13]

"Too bad, so sad"? Did this interview take place on a school's playground or something?

[PoliticalRockChick]

All I can say is, when my friend told me TMZ announced Michael died, I went to the real source, CNN and MSNBC. TMZ is a lowlife TV garbage that will pay anything and I mean anything like small kids, to get dirt on celebrities.

[pickwickianmom]

Tmz is always right. I read Tmz and the New York Times every day.
Watching CNN and Fox News, I think the difference between the "acceptable" media and outlets like tmz is blurring anyway.

If you have some naive idea about real journalism being above the fray, then you might not work in real journalism. Watch the real journalists refuse to write anything about advertisers.

It's a different world in media now. For better or worse. Probably worse. But the truth is that tmz is damn good at breaking stories and putting people on the ground.

[Solja]

You better start giving TMZ credit for what they do because they get it right more than the MSM. I hated it when I saw the headline about Michael's death, but I knew it was true when TMZ reported. HuffPo linked to their article and I immediately copy/pasted it and sent it to my email list. Some were mad that I "jumped the gun" because the "news" stations were not reporting it. They knew TMZ had it but it took them all over 30 minutes to report his death. They missed it, all of them. TMZ is right there in that Hollywood element, just like the gossip mags and paparazzi so they have connections that the mainstream media does not have. They probably know the ambulances drivers, police officers, everybody. And money talks and people in LA know it. One call and the story is broke. They try to distinguish themselves from the Star or Nat'l. Enquirer, who has also broke a big story. The Enquirer caught John Edwards leaving a hotel with that woman who was not his wife, and they told him he was busted. TMZ was also the media outlet that released that photo of Rihanna after being beaten up by Chris Brown. I was mad they did that but that probably sealed the deal for her success in court. I just hope the MSM keeps the line visible between them and the rag mags.

[InedaName]

So does TMZ have an Alaska bureau?

[AntiSheep13]

I was thinking the same thing.

[pickwickianmom]

If TMZ sent reporters to Alaska, we WOULD know what was going on with Palin and not just have endless talking heads giving us their opinions.

[PurplePeon]

TMZ and the National Enquirer. Both using their powers for evil. But, journalists could learn a thing or two from them.

[ZimboChick]

I can say I sincerely H A T E Harvey Levin. Scumyslime

[pickwickianmom]

I don't want to have dinner with him, but the guy is breaking news stories. That's ultimately what it's about.

[Solja]

He didn't do anything wrong but break the story of the death of the world's greatest entertainer. They deserve their props for that. I was mad they released that photo of Rihanna though. No morals involved in that one.

[sloreader]

ditto

[PeaceIsMyName]

TMZ just guessed that Jackson had died. Most people who suffer from cardiac arrest die from it. They just gambled that most likely Jackson wouldn't survive it, like most people, and then they could gloat that they were first.
Credible news stations, however, waited until it was confirmed, without a doubt, to report that Michael Jackson died.

Lemon should have asked Harvey how he knew "100%" that Jackson had died.

[pickwickianmom]

They have good sources. They are well-known. They are called with information. They put a lot of resources --people and money--on the ground to get the stories.

It's easy to be elitist and write these guys off, but I've been reading them for more than a year and they do a good job. Is it great journalism? No. Of course not. But they do get stories.

[harriettubman]

If I had a confidential job I can't imagine calling any kind of media. I just couldn't do that.

[deckard70]

TMZ needs to make its money now, before stalking actors and musicians is made as illegal as stalking tax accountants or other people.

[pickwickianmom]

Watch to see how many of these celebs are waiting to be "stalked'. Most of the time, the camera man handles the situation with a great deal of restraint and humor. Look at the street interviews with Hugh Jackman. They back off quickly. When you see the crowd of paps surrounding someone and running over them, that isn't tmz.
Tmz is the guy at the airport who is usually the only guy meeting the "celeb" who asks him a funny question.
Watch how respectful they are of Samantha Ronson.

[Okieborn]

Really do not care for this Harvey Levin guy or his show !!!