Speedy reporting, but one small problem...

From Alan Capps:


Joe Paterno has passed away. Really, this time. We’re sure of it.


The news shouldn’t have to be that way. But today’s social media and “journalists” who abuse it, that’s the news. Onward State, a Penn State student-run news site, proclaimed Paterno’s death Saturday evening. CBS Sports, citing Onward State, broke the news that Paterno had died. Only one problem: Paterno was still breathing.


About an hour later, both CBS Sports and Onward State retracted the news. It took a Twitter statement from the son of Joe Paterno to force the retraction. Another hour later, the managing editor of Onward State resigned. CBS explained that “football players had received an email saying Joe Paterno had died.”



Onward State and CBS Sports were both at fault for trying to break news first rather than determining if it were actually true. I worked as a sports and news reporter for a dozen years before leaving the business in 1999, just before the Internet grew into what it is today. When I was in the business, neither story would have been released for lack of a decent source. An editor would have told me to confirm the story through multiple sources who could be cited by name.


Instead, my guess is that Onward State’s source was a friend of a football player. Either the source lied to Onward State about the email, or a football player lied to the friend. A reporter could have easily called the hospital Paterno was in to get an update. Their source should have never been used as a single informant. But apparently, to them, an unnamed source claiming a national legend in the middle of a sexual abuse scandal had died was enough to run with. It was more important to be first to report the death of a legend than be right.


CBS Sports was even more incompetent. They used Onward State as their source, making their news even one more person removed from the actual news. They could have called the hospital to confirm. Or maybe a family member. Instead, with Paterno’s family gathering to say their final goodbyes, CBS Sports declared Paterno dead.


Meanwhile, The Associated Press, citing Paterno’s doctors, claimed Paterno was in serious condition. One call to a source that actually was involved. That’s all it took to be right. A paid reporter, working under a professional obligation to get the story right and with an editor reviewing his work, got the story right. Remember this the next time people complain about “the media.” What they’re referring to are the unpaid amateurs who work without a filter. Professional reporters don’t—and aren’t allowed—to make such mistakes.


But in this day and age, being first was more important than being right. I hope CBS Sports and Onward State are proud of the speed in which they reported Paterno’s death. Because they should be embarrassed about the accuracy.