News giant needs to check facts before it loses credibility, viewer population
I’ve used the words of author James Gleick before, and they’re applicable once again after CNN’s latest misinformation debacle. Gleick wrote, “Information is not knowledge, and knowledge is not wisdom,” words that CNN should keep in mind. In reporting the Boston Marathon, they disseminated information before it was verified — a bad move on their part.
The blasts at the Boston Marathon have reverberated throughout the American people this past week, as people scrambled to gather information after the unexpected tragedy. Still considered an act of terrorism, our best men are on the job trying to track down the fugitives who planted the bombs. But if you’re watching any news syndicate other than CNN, you’ll know that no one has been caught yet.
The Internet acted as a double-edged sword in the aftermath of Monday’s bombing. Sites like Google and Twitter helped people determine if their loved ones were safe and offered firsthand scenes from the finish line via cellphones and cameras. However, this also left a window for large distortions of the truth. Multiple reports of an exaggerated death count or the arrest of a subject seen with a backpack circulated on Facebook and Twitter, but CNN is most guilty for spreading misinformation that a suspect had been caught.
The 24-hour news giant tries to remain number one by showing the newest information sent in from their sources across the globe and verified with pictures and videos. Of course this makes for great news — captivating coverage and more viewers — but they may become greedy with this goal and lose sight of truthful reporting. CNN reported that a male suspect with dark skin and an off-white hat had been apprehended and reported this story for an hour before it was proven to be false by other networks. Rather than apologize for the effects of the incorrect information and save face, the network defended its “federal and local” sources and retracted their initial report in confusing bits and pieces.
CNN also misreported Obamacare’s verdict in the Supreme Court in June, and apparently showed live footage at Sandy Hook of police running into the elementary school when multiple people have confirmed it was a preschool nearby.
The deception seems small and accidental in many of these instances, but the fact that viewers are picking up on these inaccuracies shows a growing distrust of the media. It’s wrong to rile up a nation into thinking there could be some justice for the bombings, all for the hope of having an exclusive story. While they do still have Anderson Cooper on staff, they’ll need to avoid any more hearsay reporting to keep people watching.