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The Crocodile hunter Steve Irwin has recently come under international criticism. I was interested in viewing the different interpretations of the reference to the 4-metre Crocodile in the English speaking international media.
The US version of this story converted 4 metres to 13 feet, or provided no reference to length. However, The Voice of America used metric.
Canada referred to the Crocodile in metres, but erred by a metre in one report.
The United Kingdom reported in both metres and feet, or feet only.
South Africa just reported it as large.
Additional references to lengths that appeared in the news.com.au version did not appear in the international versions. This also occurred in the Australian Herald Sun, which is part of news.com.au. (http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,8307894%255E661,00.html)
AUSTRALIA FROM NEWS http://news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,8319849%255E26619,00.html Quotes from article: "Irwin told The Sunday Telegraph last night his son had been perfectly safe when he held him on Friday while feeding a chicken to a four-metre crocodile."
"Bindi was then left to lie in shallow water as three large elephants stamped and trumpeted 1m away."
"We have Alice the alligator living 20m from our house, we have a croc enclosure 30m from our house."
USA FROM VOICE OF AMERICA http://www.voanews.com/article.cfm?objectID=AA6B3E15-3929-4A3F-93E92228EC220D64 Quote from article: "four-meter-long crocodile"
FROM WASHINGTON POST http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51246-2004Jan3.html All references to measurement were removed with no US Customary conversion.
FROM NEW YORK TIMES http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/arts/AP-Australia-Crocodile-Hunter.html Quote from article: "13-foot crocodile" All other references to length removed.
FROM CBS NEWS http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/01/02/entertainment/main591156.shtml Quote from article: "13-foot crocodile" All other references to length removed.
FROM FOX NEWS http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,107227,00.html Quote from article: "13-foot crocodile" All other references to length removed.
UK FROM BBC NEWS http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/3365999.stm Quote from article: "four metre (13 foot) crocodile"
FROM THE TIMES http://www.timesonline.co.uk/ (requires subscription) Quote from article: "holding his baby son three feet from the jaws of a 13-footer"
FROM THE TELEGRAPH http://www.telegraph.co.uk/ (requires subscription) Quote from article: "13ft reptile"
CANADA FROM CNEWS http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/World/2004/01/03/303364-ap.html Quote from article: "three-metre crocodile"
FROM CBC NEWS http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/01/03/irwin040103 Quote from article: "four-metre crocodile"
FROM THE TORONTO STAR Quote from article: "four-metre crocodile"
SOUTH AFRICA FROM IOL http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=2024&art_id=qw1073116982693B223&set_id=1 Quote from article: "large, lunging crocodile"
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