In the race to get news wrong

Like many, I spent the last week glued to my television and smart phone watching the happenings in Boston. But as one news outlet after another made misstep after misstep, I became increasingly embarrassed to say I was a member of the media, no matter how far removed.

In the time of the 24/7 news cycle, people understandably want news now. But what used to be the race to get accurate news out first, it seems as if news outlets are just in a race to get any news out first, right or wrong.

A lot of coverage over the bombings in Boston contained speculation about possible culprits and motives that were flat wrong.

One news outlet came out with a report that there was a dark-skinned male. Well thanks for narrowing that one down. How many dark-skinned males live in the Boston area? Four, five, a million? Why even release that unless it was to have news everyone else didn't?

The New York Post plastered pictures on the front page with a headline of "Bag Men." Unfortunately those people were innocent. The same paper also tried to tie the bombings to a "Saudi national" who ended up having no connection to the happenings. They seem to use the close eyes and throw darts at board approach to journalism.

Of course, CNN also reported that arrests were made on Wednesday and when a suspect was named, Fox News on close captioning named the suspect Zooey Deschanel. I never knew the star of "New Girl" was a 19-year-old boy.

But I found that most of the coverage was just guessing, surmising and speculating. Because they have to fill the air 24/7 with news they spend most of their time just giving random thoughts.

"Now we are joined by Johnny Whocares, the former sub-secretary's secretary of the FBI's jaywalking division. Mr. Whocares, what do you think was in the mind of these terrorists."

"Well Wolf, I just think they are bad people."

Oh wow, I never thought of that!

But that is better than filling the time by showing everyone watching how bombs are made. Thanks for that. I guess I'm set if I ever want to make a bomb in a pressure cooker but so is every idiot with an agenda. Thanks, I feel so much safer now.

The most comical moments came while chasing down the younger bomber on Friday. The reporters kept letting viewers know that helicopters were hovering, as they have been known to do and all of them would get excited every time a dog would bark.

"Wolf, I see some activity and a dog is barking. This may be it! Oh wait, it's just a cat walking down the street!"

And then there is CNN reporter Susan Candiotti, quite possibly the worst reporter I watched all week, when during a time with no news to report she chose to fill the air by describing the quiet, empty streets in Watertown, Mass.

"It's as though a bomb dropped somewhere."

Really? She really thought that was appropriate? Somebody please take away her microphone and hairspray.

I think I have decided that in this time of 24/7 news I only need 15 minutes. Tell me what happened and move on. Something else might be going on like a big explosion in Texas, but who would ever know? Oh wait, there's a dog barking.