Yes, of course, but the trouble is that many other similar stories were overlooked by so-called on-the-ball "reporters". It's simply not fair to single out one newsworthy item like this at the expense of the many others which happened on the very same day. Could the malaise of Bieber bias be creeping into the media?
There are plenty of examples of other important stories which it seems the media chose to ignore and I hope I can go some way towards filling the gaps and making up for their shortcomings. Here then, thanks to my intrepid and probing reporting, is the rest of the news from that day.
At about the same time as Bieber was not being harmed, Brad Pitt was shopping in a Californian supermarket. His trolley was a little wobbly but, on the whole, he managed it quite well but still had a minor brush with a stack of baked bean cans at the end of aisle eight. He emerged unscathed, paying at checkout three, using a credit card which he produced from his favourite leather wallet. Among his purchased items were duct tape, mouthwash and four lemons. Reliable sources report that, when questioned, the checkout operator said: "Brad who?"
Mr Pitt must have been in a shopping mood because, after the very newsworthy supermarket purchases, he bought six Shetland ponies for his children. Confirmed reports say that none of the ponies collided with a Ferrari. The ponies were not injured in the incident.
Closer to home, Mrs E Allsop of Clandeboye, South Canterbury, is reported to have had a close shave when she tripped over her washing basket while pegging her smalls on her rotary clothesline. The basket, a bright yellow one, was made of a particularly flexible sort of plastic so bounced back unharmed from the blow. A police presence was not required.
When quizzed by a local reporter, Mrs Allsop said: "I do feel embarrassed about this publicity but if reporting my experience can prevent even one other person suffering then it will all be worthwhile. I certainly won't be taking washing day for granted in the future."
She also suggested that other people choose to buy the Acme Whizzo brand of laundry baskets because "they bounce back".
Hone Harawira also had a newsworthy day. Reliable sources say that, for the entire day, he said nothing stupid or controversial. Nor did he collide with any Ferraris, baked bean cans or washing baskets.
Of course, he vehemently denied the claims, dismissing them as "media hype". He said that this was an important day in realising "our people's hopes, dreams and aspirations". Police were not called in to interview Mr Harawira ("We have bigger fish to fry," said a police spokesman), nor was anyone injured during the whole event (which was over-reported in some media as a "fracas".)
Rural news: In the high country of Hawke's Bay and of Northland yesterday, nothing happened. Similar reports are coming in from just outside Palmerston North.
And in sport, Rugby World Cup fever has certainly hit the country with one Taranaki fan quoted as saying earlier this week: "It hasn't actually started yet."
Finally, tomorrow's weather. There won't be any weather tomorrow except perhaps in a few sheltered areas.
Wyn Drabble is a teacher of English, a writer, public speaker and musician.
