CNN Under Fire For Erroneous Coast Guard Shots Report

CNN is under fire for its erroneous report that the Coast Guard was firing shots on the Potomac River.

The report was infused with tension given that the shots — which turned out to be a routine training exercise — came on the eighth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

From the AP:

CNN reported the Coast Guard had fired 10 rounds at a suspicious boat, and showed vessels circling in the water -- near the bridge President Barack Obama's motorcade crossed on the way to a memorial at the Pentagon Friday morning.

CNN was later forced to retract the report, as seen below (via Politico):

White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs slammed the network, saying, "Before we report things like this, checking would be good."

Comments

[WindySailor]

CNN has been taken over by amateurs.

[Steven Duke]

This was a staged event, theater for the masses. Weapons of mass distraction giving "the media" its shiny thing to play with for the day.

PROPAGANDA!

When Faux News was finally called out for its cozy relationships with the pentagon and facilitating the administrations lies about Iraq, all of its misinformation could no longer be carried straight into the MSM. Not because the MSM didn't still want to, just because Faux news had lost some amount of credibility. Enter CNN. First a paper or article is floated in the right wing blogoshpere. It then recieves a generous helping of winger hate radio. Once this has been done its gotten to "the base" and can be picked up by Faux News/Newcorp and talked about to a broader audience. Before the proved shenanagins of Faux it would then be disseminated to the major networks and effectively form the "News" Now that process has to take another step so that once CNN covers the story it can be accepted and disseminated. "conventional wisdom" WAKE UP! The American people have been and continue to be manipulated and the MSM is complicit if not active in the deception. Few who are not vacuous camera whore's or paid corporate shills make it to the masses. The "refs" were taught an alternate rule book and their "penalties" on the right can simply be ignored because there is no one with the balls to enforce them. Meanwhile the "left" is completely and easily ignored and marginalized

[claudiam]

Well now, CNN seems to be having a judgment problem. First Dobbs now reporting without checking the facts. Are they trying to compete with Faux News? claudiatucsonaz

[wwoody]

CNN just reported the sky has fallen, that has been confirm, ladies and gentlemen.

[wwoody]

Breaking News, CNN just reported that the sky is falling, we are waiting for conformation. Back to you Jim.

[bo245f]

CNN is becoming another faux noise. Where are the real journalist? What happen to investagate before reporting or is it I must be the first to report before the investigation or it doesn't matter whether it's true or not just keep the public ill informed. The media has lost it's dignity just to get ratings.

[Martha12]

grailknight I'm a Fan of grailknight 9 fans permalink

SOP during military exercises when no live or blank ammo is available: squeeze trigger, shout "BANG!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I would think that it's common sense, if you heard that you would realize this was not "real". I fact I laughed out loud when they reported this.

However, when you have "reporters" and "producers" that have covered the Coast Guard and military for YEARS, this is simply.....................indefensible.

Since CNN fired some 400 employees last year they have been failing. There are CONTINUOUS loss of audio and video feeds...........even in the studio!! Then there are just plain blackouts for no reason, with no explanation.

They are nothing bu a gaggle of nonprofessional, amateurish hacks.

[toxicbrainpoison]

CNN is unstomachable. I cant take anything they ever say at face value.

[imsosure]

Hey that might be a good idea, try the proactive approach instead of the oh darn I should of done something angle.

[grailknight]

SOP during military exercises when no live or blank ammo is available: squeeze trigger, shout "BANG!"

[jozzie]

This proves that journalism on the b00btube is de@d.

[ImissBush]

and a responsible news organization hearin those radio reports would hav.....

[serialcoma]

Confirmed the story as that is much more important than ratings our frightening their viewers with irresponsible reporting.

[GoodFeathers]

As CNN is trying to appeal to the uninformed and unintelligent republicans, it is loosing its credibility and lowers itself to the likes of the Faux News. Hence, I stopped watching that network altogether. I am very close to deleting it from my cable box.

[jozzie]

Soon there will be two Headline News channels with 24/7 Nancy Grace.

[GoodFeathers]

If there is no missing person or murder, Nancy will do them for her show.

[ProfessorDuh]

This is what the Coast Guard can expect to happen when they lie to reporters about what is happening. CNN acted in good faith, and no harm was done.

[Nairb50]

I totally disagree. I am a former broadcast journalist--15 years in the business. You NEVER report "scanner" or "radio" transmissions as fact--I DON'T CARE WHO YOU THINK IS NOT TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!! It is truly sad when a network like CNN has let it's standards go so much as to allow such crappy reporting by people who are suppose to be "seasoned" professionals. Bring back Ted Turner....PLEASE!!!!

[ProfessorDuh]

The Coast Guard did the lying here.

[AmericanLeslie]

CNN used to be a credible source of information. Now it is just a joke. Pity.