There was a time when being right was more important than being first to report a story, right? This has been a hot topic during recent months, as news organizations have worked harder to compete in the real-time communication era. I think it’s more likely that news organizations have always wanted to be first and right, but given the choice, first wins out.

The first organization (or person for that matter) to break the news gets all the glory. Few care about accuracy if the report turns out to be rumor. If the story is true, it’s the first to report that gets all the credit. This begs the question, does accuracy in reporting still matter? I think it does, but journalists have less time to check your facts and verify sources than before. Fact-checking often comes as the story develops, after it’s been reported. This changes the way consumers adapt to the flow of information. [Read more...]