Updated below. Last Monday as the U.S. House of Representatives voted down the initial bailout package, both Fox News and CNN sent e-mail alert subscribers numerous alerts about the Dow's dive. The market recovered some the following day, a development that CNN neglected to mention in the same e-mail alerts.
Yet today, with the bailout package having been passed and signed into law by the president just three days earlier, the market cratered yet again, diving well below 10,000 before finally closing down just a bit shy of 370 points to close down at 9,955.5, the first time the Dow has closed under 10,000 since October 26, 2004.
This time CNN.com didn't care to notice. By way of contrast, here's how Fox News and ABCNews alerted e-mail subscribers today:
- DOW PULLS BACK FROM 800-POINT LOSS TO END DAY DOWN 369 POINTS (4:15 p.m. EDT, Fox News)
- DOW TAKES 690-POINT NOSEDIVE ON GLOBAL FINANCIAL FEARS, $60B WACHOVIA LAWSUIT (2:25 p.m. EDT, Fox News)
- DOW DOWN 500+ POINTS, DROPS BELOW 10,000 MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2004 (11:01 a.m. EDT, ABC News)
- DOW DOWN 300+ POINTS IN EARLY TRADING; DIPS BELOW 10,000 MARK FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 2004 (10:27 a.m. EDT, ABC News)
- DOW SINKS BELOW 10,000 AS WALL STREET OPENS DOWN ON GLOBAL MARKET FEARS (10:08 a.m. EDT Fox News)
The last breaking news alert in my inbox from CNN was sent early Saturday morning (2:02 a.m. EDT) and had to do with O.J. Simpson's conviction:
A jury finds O.J. Simpson guilty of all 12 counts in his Las Vegas armed robbery and kidnapping trial.
Update (16:49 EDT): I finally received an e-mail alert from CNN, sent a few minutes ago:
The Dow closes below 10,000 for the first time in nearly four years after a roller-coaster day, according to an early tally.
