Your PBB editor was just interviewed by Kim Serafin of KABC Radio Los Angeles about the Sago media controversy. Key point she made that is that in news rooms, panic sets in when some other news org is first with a story. My thought: “No member of the public cares who is first with breaking news unless it is (a) a real emergency (chemical tanker spill in town) or (b) a big investigative piece (WP on Watergate).”

People do care about accuracy: who gets the facts right. That applies to blogs as well.

Apparently my call for a Pulitzer for reporters and editors who did not go with false story was mentioned on Fox News Watch.

Originally posted January 7, 2006 at PolicyByBlog