How We Got It So Wrong

The family of the late Ohio 11th District Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones was dealing with the tragedy of losing a mother, sister, friend. Amidst the shock and grief of losing someone so vital comes questions on how the media in total got the story so wrong.

We blew it.

All of us, from the reporters, writers and editors on shift change to the managers -- myself included -- for falling into the trap of counting on the words of many to detail the story of the few. The family kept saying Tubbs Jones, who suffered an aneurysm while driving Tuesday night, was in critical condition but that wasn't good enough for the feed-the-beast mentality that hates a story that follows its own pacing and not that of the march of the news cycle.

All the major outlets, the Associated Press, CNN, Fox, CBS, The Plain Dealer, The Washington Post; all the local outlets who reported what the others were saying when we couldn't confirm with the very sources who weren't speculating but were praying for the best around this political leader struck down in her prime. Their concern was Stephanie as mother and sister, family member and friend, and not just the name attached to the public figure.

In this era of breaking and constant the political machine hundreds of miles away in Washington felt confident to break this most personal of news to a select few, and then the world. First came an email from Speaker Nancy Pelosi informing members of Congress that Tubbs Jones had passed, then the anonymous highly-placed source taking the extra step of confirming (without real attribution, of course) that this woman described often as vivacious was dead at 58.

It seemed so easy for the highest forms of journalism to go with confirmation of death even though that confirmation came not from those on the scene but nameless bureaucrats far away doing their job and peddling a scoop. It was so easy for those of us here at home to quote those in power despite the fact they didn't really have the power of what was right to begin with.

The world reported Stephanie Tubbs Jones passed from this earth after 2:00; The Plain Dealer, then CNN, then the Associated Press without waiting until doctors would speak at 2:30, just minutes later. So important it was to break the story, not because of the impact it would have but because it needed to be broken. Style trumps truth, the form overtakes the function. Governor Strickland issued a statement on her passing; wiser political minds talked of her impact but not of her passing but it wasn't good enough for the hungry news cycle beast that couldn't even wait 20 minutes for reality to step in.

Stephanie Tubbs Jones died at 6:12 p.m. Wednesday but the truth of her passing fell victim just after 2:00 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time, a victim of a cynical news cycle that couldn't even allow Death his due and Tubbs Jones her passing in dignity.

There will be plenty of apologies, including this one, for poor judgment and worse decision making. Unfortunately, we will move past the loss and past the tributes for an amazing life lived into the next news cycle for the big story still to come that we aren't satisfied to report as it happens. In an age when even newspapers are emboldened to share the breaking news stage with broadcast isn't it time to remind ourselves that our responsibility still rests with the truth? Isn't this the kind of coverage that should leave all in the media feeling even a little uncomfortable about the ethic of allowing life and death decisions to outweigh the trust given to us by our readers, listeners and viewers?

posted from Washington, D.C.