I see your point there. Mainstream news media in their quest to be first with headline news whether it be in print or the even more competitive TV/Cable markets that update news sometimes twice in a 30 minute timeframe (CNN, FOX, MSNNBC, etc), go with what they have at the moment even if it's less than full story. Government/military will always lag because they have to get it right and confirm details although sometimes, but not often, they wait to see what the half-life of a story will be because they'd rather it be supplanted by the next hot story than fuel the fire. Regardless of the case if it's that big a deal, and even worse, if there have been casualties, the government puts priority on notification of next of kin before releasing names. I'd rather see news media back off to let due process take place, but that will never happen because of intense competitive to break news first and scoop each other with details.
I'll always remember my literal first day on the job as editor of Approach (job included being PAO for Safety Center) and AIRLANT PAO calling asking me to go with him to A-6E crash site on Oceana Blvd because it was so accessible that all the news networks were rolling their mobile trucks to the scene and he needed help keeping them at bay. It became a classic media "public right to know" vs "military need to know" standoff, but we had sufficient security to block off the road in both directions, but that didn't stop them from trying to penetrate the cordon.
The A-6E Intruder was heading to Puerto Rico with 5 external tanks as I recall so it was heavy and pilot overbanked on departure, which resulted in a descent into the ground. Both aircrew did not survive ejections that were out of envelope (seat man separation did not occur) and the aircraft flattened a station wagon to pancake height when it slammed into ground. So there we were with one ejection seat on road still occupied with deceased B/N and the pilot shredded in a treeline 50 yds away and a smoking trail of partially burned fuel from one side of the road to the treeline and a barely recognizable car in its path with no survivors.
It was early enough in afternoon that we got the news anchor from one network already in studio makeup at one checkpoint with mike in hand. An camera would come up anytime someone in uniform could be corraled or summoned her way. Then the games started as deadlines approached for evening news and editors were pressing them for video and soundbites. One camera crew was caught trying to flank the cordon by going into trees to get a shot of the ejection seat and aviator in that area. Then we noticed the mast/antenna on one truck going down and going back up with a camera mounted on it, which would allow them line of shot to shot the car and other aviator (we made them back down the road and erected a cloth curtain around both deceased victims). Then another anchor said it was imperative that he transit the mishap scene to other end of raod to join up with his crew stuck on other side (he promised not to look at anything or turn on his camera...a likely story, but nice try and he admitted it).
We did a roundtable later with all the involved media to discuss issues and they held fast that it was their job in the media to report news and satisfy the public's need to know what was transpiring. I don't doubt that, but I do take issue whether they have to do it before facts are sorted out and on time for their next broadcast.
Without specific instances, I couldn't agree or disagree to that broad statement, but like I said. Govt statements have legal ramifications (yep, JAGs interject into ROE and even press statements). I'd rather hear the truth delayed as process sorts itself out and always take initial press reports with a grain of salt because I've seen them work on numerous accasions including watching an event and listening to reporters do their on the scene taping of what they saw sometimes with editors whispering in their ears how to spin it.
