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How a Bigfoot story begins
Today in a southern Malaysian state, officials say they are putting together a team to hunt for a "Bigfoot" beast. Associated Press coverage is now sending the story around the world. But if you're interested in looking at its origins, check out Bernama. The Malaysian national news agency appears to have the earliest report, on December 23. The story leads with its hook -- "Does Bigfoot exist in the jungles of Johor?" -- and the hook appears to have stuck well....
After the New Straits Times ran a "footprint" photo the next day, the story bounced around foreign media for a week (including "Bigfoot 'can boost eco-tourism'") before the AP ran its first story, "Authorities hunt for 'Bigfoot' in Malaysia," on December 30.
Reuters and UPI soon followed. The coverage then shifted back to foreign media (including a press release titled "Johor Tourism in Malaysia waits for windfall from international interest") until today's story arrived.
A Google news search allows you to track the coverage in reverse-chronological order.
If you lean toward believing in Bigfoots (Bigfeet?), there's more about the Malaysian case and other sightings in the news collection at the Bigfoot Encounters site. The beginning of its disclaimer: "This website attempts to provide the interested reader or research student with a general overview of the biology of the sasquatch to the same degree that one would expect from, say, a bear website."
Posted by Patrick Cooper at 01:14 PM/ET, January 26, 2006 in Asia
Today in a southern Malaysian state, officials say they are putting together a team to hunt for a "Bigfoot" beast. Associated Press coverage is now sending the story around the world. But if you're interested in looking at its origins, check out Bernama. The Malaysian national news agency appears to have the earliest report, on December 23. The story leads with its hook -- "Does Bigfoot exist in the jungles of Johor?" -- and the hook appears to have stuck well....
After the New Straits Times ran a "footprint" photo the next day, the story bounced around foreign media for a week (including "Bigfoot 'can boost eco-tourism'") before the AP ran its first story, "Authorities hunt for 'Bigfoot' in Malaysia," on December 30.
Reuters and UPI soon followed. The coverage then shifted back to foreign media (including a press release titled "Johor Tourism in Malaysia waits for windfall from international interest") until today's story arrived.
A Google news search allows you to track the coverage in reverse-chronological order.
If you lean toward believing in Bigfoots (Bigfeet?), there's more about the Malaysian case and other sightings in the news collection at the Bigfoot Encounters site. The beginning of its disclaimer: "This website attempts to provide the interested reader or research student with a general overview of the biology of the sasquatch to the same degree that one would expect from, say, a bear website."
Posted by Patrick Cooper at 01:14 PM/ET, January 26, 2006 in Asia
selected comments to the above post - for the rest go to USA Today
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Lots of comments, lots of questions. To begin with, they are hunting a related creature, but not Bigfoot. The United States has Bigfoot, Canada has Sasquatch (which is most likely the same animal), Nepal and Tibet has Yeti, ect. When you leave North America it is pretty safe to say that you are looking at a different animal. None of these creatures have ever been found because this is the first time that mainstream science has taken any kind of an interest. Given enough money, organization, and trained personnel they will most likely find what they are looking for. Many scoff, but claiming that a hoax has been perpetuated for hundreds of years worldwide is ridiculous. Malaysia is a much more confined area than North America so a serious study should yield results. There have been quite a few large animals discovered in the last 20 years, so a find here should not be surprising, just more sensational. A find, far from leading to extinction, will result in official study worldwide and global protection for these animals. They are not mystical, not stuck in a time warp, just intelligent enough to avoid people. I do that on a regular basis and I exist. I wish the scientific world good luck in their search.
Posted by: Mark Hackenberg | Jan 27, 2006 2:59:41 AM
Check out the bfro, ARE YOU SERIOUS? you have to be kidding. In ten years they haven't come up with anything on bigfoot but bluster, alot of media coverage and no substance. the guy that runs the show has no credibility and he maligns the people who work for him, read it on the BFF website. Even the rate of curator turnover is phenomenal. Bigfoot expeditions will not produce a bigfoot, but it might produce a guy with a costume and a tape recorded howl or two...ha ha ha the bfro is a joke.
Posted by: Pete | Jan 27, 2006 2:34:19 AM
As pkennedy wrote: BFRO.net is the best place to go, if you want to be convinced of its existence. Their expeditions for the past three years have gained NO media attention from any American press. Yet the BFRO seems to be getting closer to proving, without a doubt, that the giant wood ape, scientifically known as "Gigantopithicus Blacki" still exists.
It's only a matter of time before the truth is revealed.
Posted by: Craig | Jan 26, 2006 7:29:19 PM
I host the late night syndicated talkshow - The 'X' Zone Radio Show (www.xzone-radio.com) and recently we have debunked claims by Bigfoot edpedition leader wanna-be and hoaxer, Tom Biscardi and Bigfoot Photo Hoaxer Wayne Burton. If the way Bigfoot is being hunted around the world is any example on how we treat unknown beings, it is no wonder that the Aliens never land and remain as elusive as Bigfoot!
Posted by: Rob McConnell | Jan 26, 2006 6:49:31 PM
The Malaysian thing appears to be more hype than substance, but I am encouraged upon reading their government is supporting the search, unless that part is also hype in the effort to promote tourism.
Bigfoot Encounters website offers comprehensive no nonsense, no frills research on the subject from around the world and it is the work of one woman's dedication to finding the information and providing it to people like me FREE. She also does a fine uptodate newsletter.
The Malaysian bigfoot has me stumped.
Rick
Washington State
Posted by: Rick | Jan 26, 2006 2:12:59 PM
Posted by: Mark Hackenberg | Jan 27, 2006 2:59:41 AM
Check out the bfro, ARE YOU SERIOUS? you have to be kidding. In ten years they haven't come up with anything on bigfoot but bluster, alot of media coverage and no substance. the guy that runs the show has no credibility and he maligns the people who work for him, read it on the BFF website. Even the rate of curator turnover is phenomenal. Bigfoot expeditions will not produce a bigfoot, but it might produce a guy with a costume and a tape recorded howl or two...ha ha ha the bfro is a joke.
Posted by: Pete | Jan 27, 2006 2:34:19 AM
As pkennedy wrote: BFRO.net is the best place to go, if you want to be convinced of its existence. Their expeditions for the past three years have gained NO media attention from any American press. Yet the BFRO seems to be getting closer to proving, without a doubt, that the giant wood ape, scientifically known as "Gigantopithicus Blacki" still exists.
It's only a matter of time before the truth is revealed.
Posted by: Craig | Jan 26, 2006 7:29:19 PM
I host the late night syndicated talkshow - The 'X' Zone Radio Show (www.xzone-radio.com) and recently we have debunked claims by Bigfoot edpedition leader wanna-be and hoaxer, Tom Biscardi and Bigfoot Photo Hoaxer Wayne Burton. If the way Bigfoot is being hunted around the world is any example on how we treat unknown beings, it is no wonder that the Aliens never land and remain as elusive as Bigfoot!
Posted by: Rob McConnell | Jan 26, 2006 6:49:31 PM
The Malaysian thing appears to be more hype than substance, but I am encouraged upon reading their government is supporting the search, unless that part is also hype in the effort to promote tourism.
Bigfoot Encounters website offers comprehensive no nonsense, no frills research on the subject from around the world and it is the work of one woman's dedication to finding the information and providing it to people like me FREE. She also does a fine uptodate newsletter.
The Malaysian bigfoot has me stumped.
Rick
Washington State
Posted by: Rick | Jan 26, 2006 2:12:59 PM