Give me the facts. Just the facts.

Explosions in Boston and in West, Texas. Big news. Horrifying pictures. Human lives at risk and snuffed out in an instant. It is sickening.

But what is worse in my opinion is the rush to get the story on the air first. To be the lead dog in the pack to report the number of dead or injured, that is the news game today. And with a non-stop cycle of TV news, with on-going talking heads trying to play ‘we beat you— we were first’ and lauding it over the competition, the regard for accuracy has flown out the window.

Being first isn’t important, you morons. We want the news correct. Accurate.  Yes timely is good; but I’d rather you take a few minutes longer agonizing over your details rather than boasting we were the first to bring you such and such.

At one point hundreds had died in West.  Dozens in Boston.  Listen, it was bad enough as it was. Let’s get the details right, or leave them on the sidelines until we do. This frantic pace to be the first to get a detail on the air is ridiculous.

Network news has become a joke. I used to think in large part due to Fox. But I see most of the other services falling into the same trap. “We’ve got to be the first ones to say it.”  Slow down. Take a deep breath. I’m not going to switch the station just because you aren’t pounding my head with empty, uncorroborated facts.  I’ll wait.

You should do the same. We want the story right.