Reader: Is Osama bin Laden dead? Or Usama bin Laden? OBL? UBL?

In our post about how Osama bin Laden's death was experienced by the Facebook generation, we noted that Fox News continues to spell his first name "Usama" and abbreviate his moniker as "UBL," while the rest of the major American media prefers "Osama" and "OBL." The situation prompted a response...
By Michael RobertsMay 5, 2011
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In our post about how Osama bin Laden’s death was experienced by the Facebook generation, we noted that Fox News continues to spell his first name “Usama” and abbreviate his moniker as “UBL,” while the rest of the major American media prefers “Osama” and “OBL.” The situation prompted a response from one reader that was letter-perfect.

Dallas Heltzell writes:

OMG! Is it OBL or UBL? NBC, CBS and ABC say OBL, Faux News says UBL. WTF? (At least that’s my initial reaction.)

For more memorable takes, visit our Comment of the Day archive.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword‘s news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor’s degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master’s degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

michaelrobertscolo@gmail.com

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