When the SCOTUS decision came down, Kath and I were in a car somewhere in Pennsylvania en route to New York. Radio reception was for crap since we were in the mountains. So Kath, using her iPad, went to the website of the New York Times. Here is, from rough memory, what the paper of record had up a couple minutes after ten o’clock:
The Supreme Court has released its decision on health care. We are reading the decision and will provide a detailed report once we are confident in the accuracy of our analysis.
Meanwhile at that exact moment, both CNN and Fox were busy providing reportage about the decision that was 180 degrees wrong.
All reporters love scoops as much as anyone else, but I think television is more interested in getting news first while newspapers–at least the good ones–are more interested in getting news right.
PAD
Originally published July 18, 1997, in Comics Buyer’s Guide #1235
• 
Recent Comments