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By Citizen Reporter

Journalist


Oscar ‘largest news story in the world’

The sentencing of paralympian Oscar Pistorius was the biggest news story in the world on Tuesday, media monitoring group ROi Africa said.


“Today, Oscar Pistorius is the largest story in the world, dwarfing Ebola by over 80%,” it said in a statement.

Pistorius’s trial, across all media, made up 82.3%, while Ebola made up 17.7%.

A health worker sporting a surgical mask with the words " Government resign" stands druing a gathering outside the Carlos III hospital in Madrid on October 10, 2014. Picture: AFP

A health worker sporting a surgical mask with the words ” Government resign” stands druing a gathering outside the Carlos III hospital in Madrid on October 10, 2014. Picture: AFP

The sentiment after sentencing was passed was predominantly negative, ROi Africa said.

Over 60% of the media generated negative commentary, while 34% was neutral and less than four% positive.

Pistorius was sentenced to five years in prison after being found guilty of culpable homicide for killing his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.

Oscar Pistorius holds the hands of family members as he is taken down to the holding cells after being sentenced to five years imprisonment for the culpable homicide killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the high court in Pretoria, Tuesday, 21 October 2014. Picture: Herman Verwey/Media24/Pool

Oscar Pistorius holds the hands of family members as he is taken down to the holding cells after being sentenced to five years imprisonment for the culpable homicide killing of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp at the high court in Pretoria, Tuesday, 21 October 2014. Picture: Herman Verwey/Media24/Pool

For discharging a firearm at Tasha’s restaurant in January 2013, he was sentenced to three years in jail, suspended for five years.

The sentences would run concurrently, Judge Thokozile Masipa ruled.

Sapa

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