Burriss: Nessie hoax sticking around

By LARRY BURRISS

Most media hoaxes last a few days or weeks, and even when the media make an outright mistake, most errors are soon discovered and corrected. But one media hoax or mistake, which one depends on your particular outlook, has been around since the 1930s, and shows no sign of being either proved or disproved to anyone's complete satisfaction.This week, back in 1933, the "Inverness Courier," in Scotland, reported that a local couple had seen an "enormous animal" in a nearby body of water, Loch Ness. Although the couple said they had seen an "animal," the newspaper decided to call it a "monster," and the story became a media sensation.

This week, back in 1933, the "Inverness Courier," in Scotland, reported that a local couple had seen an "enormous animal" in a nearby body of water, Loch Ness. Although the couple said they had seen an "animal," the newspaper decided to call it a "monster," and the story became a media sensation. The London "Daily Mail" picked up the account with a headline that the "Monster of Loch Ness" wasn't just a legend, but was a fact. The paper also sent a big game hunter to the lake to capture the animal.

The London "Daily Mail" picked up the account with a headline that the "Monster of Loch Ness" wasn't just a legend, but was a fact. The paper also sent a big game hunter to the lake to capture the animal.

Then there was the famous 1934 photograph purporting to show some kind of long-necked water creature from the age of the dinosaurs.
Of course, as soon as one account was reported, other people began reporting they, too, had seen the creature, animal, monster, sea serpent or dragon. She, it was always assumed to be female, was eventually named the Loch Ness Monster, or Nessie for short.
Over the years numerous photographs, films, hydrophone recordings and sonar images have supposedly provided evidence to prove the monster is real. Even such prestigious media organizations as World Book Encyclopedia, "The New York Times," the BBC and Discovery Communication all mounted expeditions of varying complexity.

In addition to the reports based on scientific research, there have been numerous scholarly articles analyzing the evidence then analyzing these analyses.

There have also been dozens of books, films, television programs, video games and even a theme park ride based on the story, legend or hoax, again, depending on your perspective.

And, as might be expected, the tabloid "Weekly World News" routinely provides evidence Nessie has been caught, killed, sold, or is pregnant. Which would, of course, mean there are at least two of the monsters; but that is a story for another time!