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January 04, 2006
12 Dead
So hear I am at almost 3am, reading the news as is my custom upon coming home from work and I learn that the initial reports of 12 miners being found alive in that WV mine was incorrect, that there are actually 12 dead. Those in charge are calling the error a "miscommunication". The families of those who died are planning on suing (who, I don't know). I have mixed feelings that I'm trying to sort out. How do you miscommunicate "12 alive" and "12 dead". Obviously the rescuers must know the difference between a dead person and a live person. What benfit would the person taking the report and updating the media have in reporting erroneously? What happened there? I can definately see how the families would be upset at the extreem devistation that being told that the miracle that they thought had occured really didn't but who are they planning to sue, and on what grounds? The story at this point is all of 20 minutes old so there are no answers for me or for the families of the miners. I'll have to wait like everyone else.
Posted by at January 4, 2006 02:37 AM
Comments
What I think it comes down to (and not that what I think amounts to a hill of beans) is that some over anxious reporter on the scene decided that he needed to "scoop" the story and have his station be the first to air the new national tragidy. Therefore he couldn't wait for paltry things like details or facts, he just needed to get the story out. That being done all the other network news stations saw his story and ran the same one out of pure lazyness. Disturbingly this happens rather often. Many news stories that run soon after the event turn out to be riddled with mistakes, misquotes, or "facts" that are simply made up.
As for the sueing...I dont know. I guess they have the right to sue but as you stated who are they planning on taking to court? I understand that these familys are upset over the false hope that was given to them by a reporter who jumped the gun but it sounds like yet another group of people trying to profit from a very unfortunate event.
Posted by: Cris F. at January 9, 2006 01:17 AM