'Tupac alive in NZ' - hackers hoax US website

Tupac Shakur. Photo MCT
Tupac Shakur. Photo MCT
PBS officials say hackers have cracked the network's website, posting a phony story claiming dead rapper Tupac Shakur was alive in New Zealand, and a group that claimed responsibility for the hacking complained about a recent "Frontline" investigative news programme on WikiLeaks.

PBS confirmed on Monday that the website had been hacked. The phony story had been taken down as of Monday morning (local time). It had been posted on the site of the "PBS NewsHour" programme, which is produced by WETA-TV in Arlington, Virginia.

The rapper died in September 1996.

Anne Bentley, PBS' vice president of corporate communications, said in an email that erroneous information posted on the website has been corrected. The hackers also posted login information for two internal PBS sites: one that media use to access the PBS press room and an internal communications website for stations, she said. She said all affected parties were being notified.

David Fanning, executive producer of "Frontline," said he was learning of the hacking on Monday, nearly a week after the programme aired its "WikiSecrets" documentary about the leak of US diplomatic cables to the WikiLeaks website.

The documentary, produced by WGBH-TV in Boston, generated criticism and debate on the programme's website in recent days from those sympathetic to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and from those who thought the programme was fair, Fanning said.

"Frontline" producers hear impassioned responses all the time, Fanning said. Having a group attack the PBS website over a news programme was unusual but "probably not unexpected," he said.

"From our point of view, we just see it as a disappointing and irresponsible act, especially since we have been very open to publishing criticism of the film ... and the film included other points of view," Fanning said. "This kind of action is irresponsible and chilling."

A tweet from the "NewsHour" Twitter account said: "If you missed it: our site has been accessed by hackers. Thanks for staying with us."

A group calling itself LulzSec and "The Lulz Boat" on Twitter claimed responsibility and posted links to other hacks, including a video apparently taunting the network. Taunting messages were also posted on the group's Twitter page targeting the PBS programme "Frontline." One message said the group recently saw the "WikiSecrets" show and was "less than impressed."

PBS ombudsman Michael Getler wrote about the "WikiSecrets" documentary in his weekly column on Thursday, saying it had generated only a handful of complaints, though he had expected more mail from viewers.

"This may be a good thing for Frontline if it suggests that most viewers found the programme to be in keeping with Frontline's reputation for fair yet tough reporting," Getler wrote.

Getler raised some questions about the reporting in the programme but said he found the questioning by interviewer Martin Smith to be "tough but proper."

 

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