Newsroom Address- Boston Marathon Coverage

Yesterday afternoon just before 3pm, two explosives were detonated at the finish line of the Boston Marathon. Immediately, news organizations rushed to the scene in order to report to the public what happened. The Boston Globe consistently posted new information as they received it and WCVB  had a live stream going on their website in addition to their TV channel for the remainder of the day. The information of the first couple of hours came fast. The number of fatalities and injuries were constantly updated, photos and video were sent in from professionals and amateurs and witnesses and experts were interviewed.

Unfortunately, the face-paced nature of the rush of information led to mistakes. For example, the New York Post reported that twelve people were dead when there were in fact only two reported at the time. They also said that a Saudi Arabian man was IDed as a suspect when the Boston police said that they are following leads and investigating, but no one is yet a suspect. These examples show that while it is good to get information out as fast as you can, it can't be done at the expense of accuracy.

With this type of event, initial information is often released immediately, then halted and no more is given for a length of time. Once the government officials were on scene, it became tough to glean any new information. In order to stay on top of the story once information becomes sparse, reporters and photographers should be at every meeting and address (given by the mayor, governor, FBI agent etc.) that takes place to make sure information is kept fresh. This is also obviously a format that allows for questions. Instead of speculating and  reporting what may be happening or what certain actions may entail, it would be best to look for outside stories to use until more information about specifics (number of bombs, victims, suspects) about the explosion are released.

One example would be to find any connections to our area and community. Family members or friends who ran or were at the marathon, those who witnessed the explosion on-scene etc. Also, talk to those who ran to give blood right after the explosion, residents who took in runners, ceremonies and vigils being held for the victims and maybe even personnel from the hospitals to hear (as much as they can release) about the nature of the injuries and what it's like to work in a circumstance such as this. This can help balance the harshness of the tragic event and be done while waiting for detail updates. I think it would also be interesting to speak to the race winners, Rita Jeptoo and Lelisa Desisa, and give them a chance to speak about their experience. Despite the awfulness, they both accomplished a great feat.