I've been so freakin' busy this week...

I've only worked two days this week and I've already worked myself into exhaustion! It's not because I took the rest of my vacation left over...all this new work that's popped up that needed attention is getting me.

*WARNING...I'M ON MY SOAPBOX FOR THE REST OF THIS POST!* ;)

By now, most of you have heard about the mine disaster in West Virginia...and the "debockle" over whether the miners were alive or dead. I watched a few pundits (I don't call them journalists by any means) discuss it. In one instance, it almost seemed like one network placed all blame on anybody but themselves. However, as one professional that was interviewed put it, couldn't everyone have said "they are reportedly alive?" This person went on to say the term "unconfirmed" would have been just as useful...just to be on the safe side...until they saw the miners brought out ALIVE!

Being a former news assignment editor, I know the value of MAKING DAMN SURE your right. But, speaking as a professional in the news business, there are too many "hot dogs" out there who have to be FIRST...even if they're not right. But what happens to these "hot dogs" when they have to retract a story?? Do they apologize?? Do they say to themselves and their newsroom, "Folks...we need to do better...and make sure we know damn sure next time!" It's always been my belief to above all be correct...even if you're not first...because I've seen first hand news people in my market botch something not quite as serious...but there are probably next to no ramifications... Should something be done about this?? Should news outlets be held accountable??

On the flipside...I can't completely complain about the newspeople getting it totally wrong...seeing as how the freakin' coal company had the wrong information too (so they say)...and after they found out for sure there was only one survivor...they still waited longer then they should have before telling the family. I call that flat-out wrong!

But back to the media...I did see where most networks and local stations had crews at the local hospital...where, caught on video, hospital employees said they had heard more survivors were coming...but none had shown up...and nobody had called them saying more were coming or "nevermind."

After hour one, a good old "hang on just a second..." should have been uttered...and a good producer should have asked the question, "What the hell??" If I was a producer doing live coverage of this, I would have had everyone in my newsroom on the phones looking for the "survivors." Why did only one ambulance with one survivor leave and no others?? Something would have defintley not been right...at least in my mind.

My opinion? The mine is primarily at fault...but eveyr blasted media outlet should apologize for jumping the gun...and I mean every single network to every single tv affiliate...to every single paper and magazine who got it wrong!

This is very similar to the 1972 olympics in Munich...where several Israeli athletes where held hostage...and killed... Everyone got that wrong, too...except one sports announcer, whose name I cannot remember... It's called being very, VERY careful with what you say...especially in situations like this.

And as the son of a coal miner who witnessed a very similar tragedy in my own hometown, my thoughts are with the families...and may God have mercy on the soul-less coal company executives!