History Main / AuthenticationByNewspaper

* In the ''TabletopGame/{{Shadowrun}}'' tie-in novel ''Wolf and Raven'' by Creator/MichaelStackpole, a video of a kidnap victim is shown standing in front of a trideo screen with a recent program on it. In an aversion of WeWillNotUsePhotoshopInTheFuture, the protagonist focuses his attention on the way her hair moves through the image as the fine details would reveal use of ChromaKey to fake the video.

* A variant in ''Studio60OnTheSunsetStrip'': The show-within-the-show is shown live on the East Coast, but tape-delayed for the West Coast. In one episode, they need to insert a live apology for the West Coast, and prove that it's live. They do so by having the actor give an up-to-the-second sports score.

* When Tom is framing himself for murder in ''Film/BeyondAReasonableDoubt'' (It MakesSenseInConxtext--sort of) he holds up a newspaper at the scene of the murder, and is photographed planting his lighter, to prove that he planted the lighter ''after'' the murder was committed.

* When Tom is framing himself for murder in ''Film/BeyondAReasonableDoubt'' (ItMakesSenseInConxtext--sort of) he holds up a newspaper at the scene of the murder, and is photographed planting his lighter, to prove that he planted the lighter ''after'' the murder was committed.

* This is served with a massive dose of FridgeLogic in ''Series/{{Dexter}}'''s second season. Bad guy Little Chino gives the cops a video of him holding a newspaper as if it were proof that he was somewhere else on the day a murder took place. (It has a timestamp from the camera on it, but those can be faked pretty easily too...)

* On ''Series/TheBigBangTheory'', when Leonard is getting ready to go to the Bakersfield [=ComicCon=], he takes a picture of him and Penny with the day's paper, to prove she actually exists to the other ner...attendees he will be meeting.

* In ''Finding Kelly'', this trope is not only used, but also explained, near the end after Kelly is finally found.
* In ''Proof of Life'', such a photograph is the titular evidence that the hostage isn't dead.

* The main character in ''Beyond a Reasonable Doubt'' does this to prove he didn't really murder a girl he framed himself for murdering to expose a corrupt district attorney who's trying to prosecute him for murdering the girl. [[ItsALongStory ...It's a long story]].

* ''TheOnion'': ''[[http://www.theonion.com/content/news/report_majority_of_newspapers_now Report: Majority of Newspapers Now Purchased by Kidnappers to Prove Date]]''

* The owner of the night shelter in ''Film/TheKid1921'' identifies the Tramp and the kid when seeing the [[WantedPoster Wanted ad]] in the newspaper.

->"''Remember to write us every day, and don't forget to include a photo of yourself holding up that day's newspaper.''"

%% One quote is enough, please put any new one in the Quotes tab.

* A few months after TonyBlair became Prime Minister, it was announced that Humphrey, a cat who permanently resided in 10 Downing Street, had retired. Persistent stories of a rift between his wife and Humphrey lead to rumors that Humphrey had been put down. They ended up presenting parliament with one of these photos to prove he was still alive.

* In ''BlackBooks'', Manny tells Bernard that his ex-girlfriend is still alive and Fran knows her. Fran confesses, knowing the jig is up, but Bernard refuses to believe it, so Fran shows him pieces of evidence that eventually escalates to a photo of her holding yesterday's newspaper and wearing an "I Love Life" shirt.

[[quoteright:350:http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Deweytruman12.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:350:[[UsefulNotes/HarryTruman Truman]] proves that newspapers are [[SarcasmMode ALWAYS right]]. ]]

[[folder:Web Original]]
* ''TheOnion'': ''[[http://www.theonion.com/content/news/report_majority_of_newspapers_now Report: Majority of Newspapers Now Purchased by Kidnappers to Prove Date]]''

* ''[[Literature/XWingSeries Isard's Revenge]]'': Wedge sends a message to the New Republic to prove that he's still alive, and dates it by quoting a few of that day's stock prices.

[[caption-width-right:350:[-[[UsefulNotes/HarryTruman Truman]] proving that newspapers are [[SarcasmMode always right]].-] ]]

[[caption-width-right:350:[-[[HarryTruman Truman]] proving that newspapers are [[SarcasmMode always right]].-] ]]

* On RickyGervais' Xfm show, he and Steve once asked Karl to name a major news event of the day to prove to a suspicious listener that the show was live. [[TheDitz Karl came up with, "Me mam's budgie died last night."]]