A US Coast Guard boat patrols the Potomac River near Washington, DC on September 11, 2009.
(Haraz N. Ghanbari/AP)Photos (1 of 1)
Did the Coast Guard or CNN cause the 9/11 panic on the Potomac?
Most of the criticism for erroneous reports of gunshots is aimed at the Coast Guard exercise. But news organizations take hits too for going live with unconfirmed reports reminiscent of Chicken Little.
By Brad Knickerbocker | Staff writer/ September 12, 2009 edition
The United States Coast Guard continues to take flak for its exercise on the Potomac River in Washington Friday. Critics say it should have been more sensitive to the mental atmosphere on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
“The anxiety caused by this situation on such a solemn day is extremely disturbing,” said Sen. George Voinovich of Ohio, senior Republican on a homeland security subcommittee. “It sounds very much like the left hand didn’t know what the right hand was doing.”
Senior Coast Guard officials promise a “thorough review” of the incident in which there was a simulated attack on a “suspicious vessel” involving a radio broadcast of mock gunfire but no actual shots being fired.
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs pushed back against suggestions that this week’s episode was somehow like one earlier this year when the Air Force conducted an unannounced photo op over New York City in which Air Force One appeared to be chased by fighter jets. Since many New Yorkers immediately remembered the day when hijacked airliners slammed into the World Trade Center, it seemed insensitive to say the least.
Gibbs pointed out that the initial breathless report on CNN was based on what someone heard on a radio scanner — unconfirmed by the Coast Guard, which in essence had said it didn’t know what the CNN reporter calling for comment was talking about. Based on what CNN had reported but without doing its own checking, Reuters and then Fox News went with the story as well.
“Before we report things like this, checking would be good,” Gibbs said. To which many media experts could only say, “Duh!”
“The higher the stakes, the more careful you have to be to make sure you are correct,” Tom Fiedler, dean of Boston University’s College of Communication, told the Los Angeles Times. “Unfortunately, this is one of those examples of ready-fire-aim journalism.”
Al Tompkins, a faculty member at the Poynter Institute, a journalism center in St. Petersburg, Fla., also told the LA Times: “It’s a really dangerous practice to use radio traffic as your principal source of information, because it so often turns out to be incorrect.”
Listening to the police radio scanner for stories to chase has been common practice in newsrooms for decades. But with cell phone texting and Twitter tweets, it brings to mind something Winston Churchill said: “A lie gets half way around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.”
In this case, it was a half hour — eternity in an age of Internet communication — before CNN corrected its first report.
It’s not an isolated problem, Tompkins writes on PoynterOnline.org:
“Reputable news organizations reporting bad information appears to be a growing problem in the American news media. Some newsrooms are cutting corners by not verifying information. Others are recycling incorrect information by simply reposting the work of others on their Web sites.
“Although cable news programs face a certain pressure to be first and fill a lot of time with breaking news, all newsrooms can stumble in the race to be first. The skill of verifying facts is more important than ever. And it may be the only thing that elevates journalism above the rest of the noise on the Internet.”
There are lessons in all of this, especially for young journalists in an increasingly competitive profession.
“As an editor, I forbade reporting off the [police] scanner, tempting though it is,” writes Dean Miller, director of the Center for News Literacy at the State University of New York at Stony Brook in an email to reporters and columnists. “CNN’s 9/11 debacle this week is a perfect teaching moment.”
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Comments
2. Heather | 09.12.09
I find it very hard to beleive that an international news service like CNN could not pick up a phone and quickly get information on what was going on.
How did this massive news agency spend over an hour, thinking this was anything of importance?
3. Aaron | 09.12.09
“Critics say it should have been more sensitive to the mental atmosphere on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”
Why? They’ve been training there so long that the people in the area don’t even seem to notice anything going on. CNN on the other hand sends out reports often without checking any facts. As well as Reuters, Fox, ABC, and anyone else that just keeps repeating “News” that they heard from someone else. Where someone is the other news station in this case. So many of these “news” stations in the past have spewed the rumors they find on the “internet” of all places as news, without any research. If they don’t want to verify the “news” they want to report then they need to become CRN, Cable RUMOR Network instead of CNN.
4. Rob Brown | 09.12.09
“Unfortunately, this is one of those examples of ready-fire-aim journalism.”
More like “shoot from the hip”. Aiming (checking) did not happen here.
The Coast Guard should have picked a different day to hold the exercise, but the fault here is clearly with CNN and the rest.
5. Sam | 09.12.09
CNN is responsible in my eyes… this was a recurring exercise that went on several times a week without a hitch until a news agency once again, instead of properly reporting the news after verification of fact, created the news.
6. ltchang | 09.12.09
Reporting by CNN on the 2009 anniversary of 9/11 is a good example of rushing to sensational reporting without checking/verification of facts. News media should treasure their one important asset is accurate and fair reporting of information. Arrogance and disregard of truth will bring enormous harm to the public and to the growing distrust and eventual demise of the news reporting apparatus.
7. KER | 09.12.09
I hold CNN accountable. The first rule of journalism is to check your sources before publishing anything. I understand that there is pressure to get the news out but inaccurate news does not do anyone any good. Could the Coast Guard have informed other agencies? It could have but that would not have remedied the problem. It was CNN’s lax approach to the truth that caused the problem, not the exercise itself. I agree with jcfinley1’s point that the media should NOT be informed of all planned exercizes.
8. Marianne Lesher | 09.12.09
Local media notified DC residents on Sept 9th that there would be two days of Training Exercises on Sept 10th and 11th. They even said to not be alarmed if we hear or see more than the normal emergency vehicles and sirens.
9. caos | 09.12.09
cnn caused this, in a media frenzy world, they should have checked further into what was going on, say homeland security before publicizing an invasion from mars.
10. walter | 09.12.09
Some news, especially news about a possible terror attack, a natural or man-made disaster, etc. need to be reported ASAP, to warn people to stay away, to be careful, to be ready to evacuate, to follow upcoming instructions, and so on. I think, Coast Guard’s decision to stage a realistic show of an attack on a boat on such a day, in such a place, was very stupid indeed. Don’t we have people with brains to man at least the most important positions of authority in this country?
11. Brad | 09.12.09
I was watching all of this unfold over at FOX News. I also checked MSNBC(which was doing a minute by minute replay of 9/11) and CNN. I saw very little coverage of this situation on CNN, but for over an hour FOX News was continuously reporting of shots being fired on the Potomac. I watch all 3 networks equally and I am well aware of the divide between them. It is absolutely absurd for this article to blame CNN. All fault should be on the U.S. Coast Guard for doing something so stupid.
12. Jessica | 09.12.09
I just wonder what a poor police officer would have thought if maybe he was enjoying a cup of coffee on the bridge and listening to the radio saying shots have been fired, back off, etc and he see’s the boats with guns.
13. Air Force Vet | 09.12.09
Why would you conduct training missions on 9/11. Come on folks, even an idiot knows that that of all days that is one that you don’t mess around with. As a retired military person, I know the rules of engagement and I know that you never do something so idiotic as this.
As for the news reporting it; Get your facts straight, don’t report something that you are not 100% about. Don’t start a panic from the people, because that is what you could have caused. As for the Coast Guard, well let’s hope that they are civilians now.
14. WarriorGrrl | 09.12.09
If the Coast Guard, Police, Marines, Secret Service, FBI, etc. train almost every day, as the Coast Guard stated about this exercise, won’t daily notifications soon overwhelm the receiving organizations and cause them to ignore them?
Having said that, I agree that an exercise of this nature, on 9/11, near the Pentagon, soon after the President spoke, was pretty tone-deaf. I’m thinking they should have simply been on higher alert, looking for whackos wanting to make a point.
15. Chattanooga | 09.12.09
Let the Coast Guard do it’s job. The Coast Guard isn’t a media relations company. The officers and men training under them aren’t politicians doing propaganda campaigns in the city, as with all involved in a certain photo shoot of the past. These are men and women training to be ready at any time on any day to give their lives to save yours. They don’t need to make excuses and they don’t need to play the media, except when it will help them win a war.
16. Joe | 09.12.09
Reporting of “emergency” news is not the role of CNN. It is the role of the authorities–police, DHS, and other agencies, not the news media. Evacuation from NYC should never be coordinated or started by CNN. Panics are created this way, and people can easily get killed in panics involving cars, tunnels and bridges. CNN was not just irresponsible but could actually have been criminally liable for shouting “fire” in a crowded theater. CNN was entirely insensitive to the solemn nature of the 9/11 date and to their public responsibility.
17. John | 09.12.09
CNN is at fault for not doing their job. The media always claims the high ground as the “Press,” and then they act like a college newspaper.
18. Air Force Vet | 09.12.09
Sure is disappointing that an international news organization couldn’t be bothered to fact check. There weren’t actually shots fired, so they at least could have verified that.
19. Mark Burns | 09.12.09
The true journalism (old) school, the so called “old timers” used to say that BEFORE you take a piece to the press, you always should have TWO independent sources confirming the news event. Period. I personally know of an “old lion” of old style journalism, Indro MOntanelli, from Italy, that in the 80s, got first the news of the death of a Russian head of state, and back then it was a “big”, “stop the presses” headline. Good old Indro, called all over Moscow, to all his sources, but no-one seemed to be able to confirm the fact. So, Indro withheld the news for 24 hours, and by then, it had been confirmed, and all the news agencies had it. He had lost the advantage, but held on his believes, and did not “go out” with an unconfirmed news report. THAT is journalims. CNN & C., goback to school !!
20. DaveM | 09.12.09
Better to get your new from print (on paper) media. They seem to take a bit more time to verify information. Web and broadcast media go for the hype, shoot from the hip, and the result is lttle better than gossip.
21. Mark | 09.12.09
FOrWalter:Walter, it was no even a real “staged”. It was all done over radio.
CNN picked it up, they were starving for “meat” , they got some, and went for it w/o checkgn. Actually, even worst, they called the CG, that DID NOT confirm , and CNN and all the others went to the airways anyway.
THAT was stupid.
22. Chris | 09.12.09
“Critics say it should have been more sensitive to the mental atmosphere on the anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.”
Absolutely - this is unacceptable. How many stupid people do we have making these decisions? Seriously, flying jets low over New York without notice, then having a training exercise in DC on 9/11??? Have we lost all common sense? And even if people were notified about the training exercises, it is still incredibly insensitive to those who lost their loved ones in 2001. Incredible. And while CNN needs to be more responsible, can you blame them for being trigger happy on 9/11?
23. Adriana | 09.12.09
it has been 8 years.. and we should not panic so easily, i don’t believe we should be afraid, or have fear so easily when situations of any sort happen. Take a breath and take control of the situation, this is a key example of what could cause further havoc than necessary.
24. ron | 09.12.09
Why should the Coast Guard have to “inform” everyone of what they are doing? They were just training, which they should, and have every right to do. The media mis-interpreted the event - the blame is on them.
And they wonder why their ratings/subscriptions are in the toilet.
25. James | 09.12.09
This was just a normal, routine exercise. Good GOD, what is wrong with people who are criticizing the Coast Guard? They didn’t fire M-60s in the air. They didn’t conduct a war game. They just drove around in their boats and said “bang bang bang” on the radio. These people are being PAID with my taxpayer dollars, and I want them working for it, but training to protect this country.
This was all CNN’s fault. Without a doubt. Some dimwit listening to cv radio heard “bang bang bang” and crapped his pants in excitement. For the record, is this WAS a real situation, they wouldn’t broadcast on civilian comms channels, they’d use encrypted comms, and stupid CNN wouldn’t hear them.
27. Proud Coast Guard Wife | 09.12.09
This Comment is directed towards Walter and anyone else who questions what the Coast Guard did…………
Did you ever stop to think there was a reason behind why the Coast Guard picked this day? Also, would you have the same thoughts if something did really happen again on this day and the Coast Guard wasn’t there to protect all those people mourning their loses!! Then you would be saying where was our Homeland Security, they should have been there protecting us! God forbid something did happen and the Coast Guard was there this would then be ok, right, because the Coast Guard would then have been saving lifes of many. I am proud to say that my husband currently serves in the United States Coast Guard and everything they do is for a good reason wheather you are closed minded about it or not. They don’t go out there to scare people and I can guarantee you that more important people then you know knew about this training they were going to be doing. If you read the reports the President himself knew of the training that the Coast Guard was going to be doing and had no question in mind that is was ok!! Also, there are security zones set up for these types of training and people cannot come within so many feet of the Coast Guards boats and it is a good distance! So stupid, no this was not at all a stupid thing to do but rather important. Everyday my husband is out here protecting our waters and it’s people from you name it and I will never sit around and let anyone put down the Coast Guard let alone question there intelligence.
28. Ken | 09.12.09
I fail to understand why anyone would suggests that the Coast Guard should have chosen another day to conduct it’s exercise. Does anyone think that the terrorists will be so considerate?
CNN — Reuters — FOX are to blame. Period!
29. GABrowne | 09.12.09
I remember 09/11 when all the news agencies got it wrong. Instead of reporting a jetliner crash. They were still guessing when the 2nd plane hit. Then no emergency warning to evacuate, until countless minutes were missed.
If the news agancies including CNN, FOX had been a little quicker, there have been more lives spared.
As “Walter” said er on the side of caution. It will save more lives then waiting for the 2nd shoe to drop.
30. Jean Chevreille | 09.12.09
Apologies to the media but this seems to be a no brainer, unless of course there are no phones in D.C. On news this important, the least CNN could have done is check this out with the Coast Guard. Any justification by CNN for airing this without at least making the call sounds hollow. May as well get my news from the tabloids.
31. Mike Berkenbile | 09.12.09
What? A report of shots fired on a NYC radio channel? Now there’s something rare…NOT!
Having served in the Coast Guard for over 20 years I can tell you that the US Coast Guard performs training almost every day of the week/365 days per year. Trust me, they know what they are doing. From my experiences I would also presume that the local authorities were informed of, if not participating to some extent in the drill. All one has to do is review the facts to know that CNN is solely responsible for this mess. They did not check the story. It’s that simple folks. Now they’re quite willing to let the CG take any heat. ******!
Robert Gibbs is a moron. From a perspective of visibility, human perceptions, and fear; A couple of small-boats on the river are cannot possibly be compared Air Force One at 5000 ft., which btw DID NOT occur near on the 9/11 anniversary. This brings us to the question: When can the Coast Guard conduct drills in NYC? The Air Force issue happened much earlier in the year. Surely no one is suggesting that the authorities announce protection and response drills and exercises to the media. If that were to happen the only one’s interested will be the criminals and the terrorists.
Insensitive? We need to move forward people. The WTC attack happened eight years ago. We need to be moving forward just as those before us did at Pearl Harbor and Oklahoma City and other places . If we had not moved forward, we’d freak out every time we saw an airplane flying in Hawaii or a moving van or a bag of fertilizer in Oklahoma. I believe those who perished would want us to seek justice or offer forgiveness, but I do not believe they would want us to want us to live in fear. Only the “fire, ready, aim” news media wishes us to be afraid.
32. dancan | 09.12.09
Once again CNN jumps the gun, then fades into silent oblivion to avoid embarassment. It appears as though these agencies are desparate for another terrorist attack on U.S. soil. It is evident in the newscasters’ mannerism.
On the other hand the Coast Guard should have been a little more sensitive with regard to timing.
33. Psy | 09.12.09
So we have Coast Guard gunboats running up and down the Potomac River near Washington DC. What next, swat teams practicing in the city square with convincing radio chatter that there are terrorist in city hall? Whats after that? The next thing you know Air Force One might buzz New York City for a photo shoot.
I see no reason to play war games in or near civilian populations for any reason other than putting on a show.
34. Craig | 09.12.09
I’m amazed that nobody realized that it’s a fineable offense to relay what you hear on a police scanner to a third party. This includes the “hobbyists” who called the news people, and it includes the news people who quoted what they heard. I can understand the lack of education in the general public, but these folks in the news are supposed to be professionals who might know the law. They could be fined by the FCC for violating the federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act. But then, again, the FCC would have to know the law as well, or care. They’ve been silent so far throughout all of this. For their part, news organizations today think it’s totally O.K. — because they mistakenly view a scanner as just another commercial broadcast radio (which it is not, it is public safety point-to-point and governed by federal and state laws), and because it’s become common practice in the most efficient way — ignorance — too much of a bother for professionals to be one.
35. Jim | 09.12.09
To those poised to throw stones at the US military for this and other training exercises that upset the public: Perhaps you’d prefer that we notify all terrorist organizations that our defense system will not — repeat not — be on alert and training on national holidays or anniversaries of terrible events. That way the public could relax, and the terrorists would know the “coast is clear.” Let’s back off and allow the military to do its job of protecting us, holding drills in full public view as a visible sign of their preparedness, and allow the media to concentrate on their job of responsibly ascertaining and honoring truth.
36. Steven | 09.12.09
@ Rob: “Unfortunately, this is one of those examples of ready-fire-aim journalism.
More like…”
Actually, what you described is exactly what they wrote. Read the ready-fire-aim sentence again, closely.
37. Fred H | 09.12.09
CNN. The CG was doing it’s job, which includes training. Given what Marianne said (local news sources had been notified) … CNN should issue an apology.
38. Kevmar | 09.12.09
This just shows how the media tries to keep us in a state of panic. Evey little thing is the end of the world and we should be scared. If it would have been real, it could have been any number of things. Many of them would not be news worthy.
If anyone one would have been in any real danger, the Cost Guard would have lit up the radios and people would have been informed. They do this type of stuff all the time. It is just part of what they do.
CNN and the rest of the media is at fault for the big scare. They could have ran that story any number of ways. No reason to cause panic when its not called for.
39. Ric Carter | 09.12.09
I vote for CNN culpability, media frenzy, automated rumour-mongering, lack of journalistic professionalism resulting from conglomerate ownership of information media — in a word, sloppiness. And CNN and those media who followed its lead will pay no penalty for this sloppiness, except for a further erosion of credibility. Many of us already think that anything being broadcast is a lie, that we’re so awash in mis- and dis-information that it’s pointless to pay attention to any ‘news’ beyond traffic and weather reports. Incidents like this merely confirm our cynicism.
40. Jerry | 09.12.09
I blame CNN and the other cable news networks. They don’t just report the news. They exaggerate it to create excitement and suspense, because that’s how they attract viewers for their advertisers. We need to remember that they are entertainment businesses. Most of their reporting has no more depth than gossip at a neighborhood bar.
Their constant clamor shapes opinions and affects our destinies. Their power rivals that of our government. But, who reports on them? Who holds them accountable?
41. Barry Johnson | 09.12.09
The reaction to the Coast Guard exercise was way overblown and I mostly blame CNN, Fox, and Reuters for their sloppy work. What passes for journalism on cable news is pathetic. Vetting of “news” is weak to non-existent and hyperbole rules the day. Journalists have a unique role to play in the governance of our country. They act as the eyes and ears of the fourth branch of government - the people. They have an ethical and moral responsibility to get it right. And frankly, they are failing miserably.
For government employees, Friday September 11, 2009 was a regular workday, with planned activities like those that take place on any other work day - as it should be. Nobody went into full-blown panic when planes flew over Hawaii on December 7th of last year, as I imagine they did. September 11th should be no different. Yes, it is a day to remember - a sad day and a solemn day - but we also must carry on with our daily lives and go about the business of living.
September 11th is a day to remember to honor those who died in 2001, as well as all of those who have died in service to our country since then. However, the way we honor those people is not by cowering in fear but by standing on our own two feet and displaying some intestinal fortitude. We should be strong in our resolve not to let panic and fear rule the day but to carrying on with our daily lives just as we always have. Otherwise, we are feeding into the very fear and tactics that makes terrorism successful.
If we truly wish to defeat terrorism, we can’t feed the fear that it needs to thrive.
42. robW | 09.12.09
CNN is at fault, without a doubt. They and the other networks have created a full-time broadcast of a shark tank. They do their best to whip up the public into a frenzy on the slimmest pieces of news and rumor to the point where there really isn’t any news on television any more. It’s all rubbish designed to upset the viewing public and keep them glued to the screen.
43. Michele Elmore | 09.12.09
No wonder CNN is called “Chicken Noodle News”. They’re idiots and should be fined for irresponsible journalism.
44. Lau Pan | 09.12.09
The coast Guard was doing what they were suppose to do, practice.
CNN was doing what they are suppose to do, report.
Problem was CNN did not report clearly amd correctly the truth, unfortunately somthing they do most of the time.
45. Henry P. Andrews | 09.12.09
Note the article says the Coast Guard in “essence had said it didn’t know what the CNN reporter calling for comment was talking about” when CNN called to confirm… stonewalled, CNN went with the story… perhaps they ought to have noted that the Coast Guard had no comment… 
Of course, it is telling that whomever CNN called knew nothing… and likely didn’t even know who to call to find out what was going on… Why the Coast Guard Chief of Staff made the brief rather than the operational commander is beyond me.
46. Roland | 09.12.09
WOW the big CNN can not check the info first.
Mr CNN want to be the first to go on air with the bad news
first.
Stupid CNN check first you go on the air.
47. Bob Greene | 09.12.09
“Some news, especially news about a possible terror attack, a natural or man-made disaster, etc. need to be reported ASAP”
I sure am glad police don’t have a shoot first and ask questions later general policy… No situation is so important that the “trigger” be pulled before the threat is identified.
CNN & whoever else that reported this is completely to blame. The coast guard was doing their job, as they should be. Sure, 9/11 is an important & solemn date in American History, but so are others and it’s ridiculous to expect that anyone doing anything should report all activities to every news agency out there before they engage in them because some unprofessional & irresponsible news agency may pick up on what’s going on and construe it to be something else.
48. Sherry Blair | 09.12.09
I’m sure we can all find a way to blame someone. Equally, we can be grateful to all involved. In these times of video phones and police scanners and the internet, news comes almost instantaneously and it is up to each of us to decide how to handle it. There is no infallible source of news and we would not be responsible to suppose there is. We need to check the facts ourselves, wait to make judgements until we know enough, practice calm and act intelligently. ALL of US.
49. Roger Moore | 09.12.09
I would think if I were a New York resident and 9/11 survivor I would feel MUCH more comforted knowing the Coast Guard is drilling EVERY day. CNN owes an apology to all listeners and they also need to learn that the words,”BANG BANG” do not constitute shots fired, also little flags saying,”BANG”, do not come out of barrells of Guns!Also all those other Media outlets who just guessed!
51. Steve | 09.12.09
Of all days to run an “Exercise”… 9/11 is NOT the day to DO IT!! What the **** were they thinking??
52. Jon Buchanan | 09.12.09
People relax! I suppose you don’t want our troops to train or show a presence to protect us from terrorist. Maybe our troops can take the day off on every holiday or major event so we wont get scared when we see them doing there jobs.
53. Mike O | 09.12.09
Coastguard wife got it right. The CG trains daily to insure a rapid, appropriate, coordinated response to threats. They are professionals. We expect them to be ready at all times to protect and preserve our freedom. The Walters of this world, however, are quick to blame the CG and give CNN a free pass.
There is absolutely no excuse for CNN not validating information before reporting it as news. CNN hasn’t demonstrated anything even remotely close to the professionalism of the CG. Their preoccupation with ratings and being first is more important to them than accuracy in reporting. They’ve lost any credibility they may have had - now it’s just another ‘rag’.
55. Barbara | 09.12.09
My son is a Coast Guard officer; they train constantly and this is what makes them one of the most effective governmental agencies we have. Remember their effective Katrina response? It was due to good training. The fact that CNN doesn’t know enough about what they do is CNN’s problem. (No wonder we have such a distorted view of the world the way journalists operate.)
56. Jake T | 09.12.09
Journalism today is a race to the bottom: substanceless sensationalism sells, and fact-checked analysis doesn’t. Supply and demand.
And this total inability of the mass media to convey relevant factual information, let alone nuanced debate, is completely asphyxiating intelligent political discourse in this country.
57. Garry Grofcsik | 09.12.09
This whole mess, surely CNN’s fault, reminds me in some ways of how wrong the media gets stories on aviation accidents or incidents. As a life-long aviation professional, I always wonder if the media does any better on stories about subjects I don’t understand well. I’ve generally concluded that they don’t. This Potomac/Coast Guard story only supports my conclusion.
In this age of discovering that the US is not much better than a banana republic, it’s a terrible shame that we can’t depend on the press for accuracy.
58. chucklebutte | 09.12.09
Get rid of the media (all of it) bloggers do a better job and they do it for free.
Also, people, get over 9/11! we have no more colored terror alerts we dont have a puppet tyrant in office any longer! No need to be sheople anymore!
America is a smelter pot of idiots bred out of a sess pool instead of a gene pool. Im ashamed to call myself an American anymore I hope we do get healthcare but im sure we wont, and will further back my theory that America is a dump and not worth coming to.
And one more thing, the guy said “Bang Bang” how could CNN even misconstrue that as being actual gunfire? I swear nothing but idiots on tv and in government.
59. Tim | 09.12.09
Not the first time CNN has reported something it in error. It seems to be more common for them than others. I hope the FCC fines them and teaches the media that unethical reporting is dangerous and irresponsible and will not be tolerated. Can you say War of the Worlds?
Reminds me of the time CNN reported the story of the Sago mine disaster in WV.It had a CNN graphic behind Wolf Blitzer. He was comparing it to the PA event a few years back. The graphic showed the PA mine was several horizontal tunnels going back and forth and extended 1000’s of feet from the entrance but was only about 270 feet below the surface. The Sago mine showed a vertical shaft that went straight down nearly 2 miles, the distance CNN was told the miners were from the entrance. Wolf was talking to a mining expert on the phone about why it was difficult to drill an escape shaft like PA. Wolf was implying that it’s not easy to drill 1000’s of feet straight down. The expert on the phone said that the actual depth is not 1000’s of feet but less than 300 feet. He said the tunnel lengths are miles long. They went to commercial and came back without the diagram. Guess someone finally googled worlds deepest mine and realized Sago wasn’t the tunnel to the center of the earth they had reported. CNN also reported that 12 were found alive when in fact 12 had been found was the message sent back from the rescue crew.
60. ReadTheStory | 09.12.09
It was stated that the radio frequency in question was a DEDICATED Coast Guard TRAINING frequency. The story implied that this was known. If that is the case, the blame clearly belongs with the media for not knowing what should have been known, not completely verifying the facts.
For those who fault the CG for having a training exercise on 9/11 I say wake up and smell the roses. Those who would like to do the country harm will do so on any day. Our police, soldiers, airmen, sailors need to be prepared on any day to do their jobs.
This is clearly a case where the FOR PROFIT media was out to make money by increasing ratings at the expense of accuracy. That is the biggest problem we have with the media. It would be better to privatize it again, get it off Wall Street. That is the only way we will truly get back to “real” journalism.
61. RHM | 09.12.09
CNN definitely caused the problem. They are less accurate than the Internet that they so despise.
63. woop | 09.12.09
you really cant expect that nobody clued in to the date of these exercises, i mean c’mon, any way to keep a boogeyman alive and people shaking in their boots.
64. David | 09.12.09
CNN ****** up big time…. Maybe I should call them and let them know that Bill Gates is selling off all his shares of Microsoft and moving to Mexico…..
Um a few things….
There wasn’t even another boat. All Cost guard boats, Big orange things in the water.
No shots fired
Training goes on everyday.
Yes I relize it was 9/11 but seriously its been 8 years, I would imagine the CG has been doing drills on the past 7 9/11 with out an issue.
Someone listening to a radio, created news……
Other news groups not wanting to be out done, paniced and reported gosip.
I bet other agencyes performed drills that day as well, Mock attacts against the president, ETC
Im almost sure there are Fake cars, helicopters, ETC to mask the presidents true loction all the time….. Those are dirlls I bet some even end in training exersises.
65. Elm Creek Smith | 09.12.09
Psy - “So we have Coast Guard gunboats running up and down the Potomac River near Washington DC.”
They are there every day and night.
Steve - “What the **** were they thinking??”
How about that they will be prepared every day to stop something like 9/11 from happening again? I spent 20 years in the Army, and holidays never affected the training schedule. What better day than 9/11 to drill? Besides, this wasn’t a “full up” training exercise with blanks blasting, etc. This was two boats driving around in the river with someone saying, “Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!” over the radio.
ECS
66. Dr Joe | 09.12.09
CNN Called a spokeswoman for the Coast Guard twice. But that spokeswoman didn’t know what they were referring to because it was normal - nothing special training that they perform nearly everyday.
All these exercises should show up on the Spokeswoman’s calendar in Office so she could at least reference them. And CNN should of made two calls to two different people when they checked their story.
67. SSGT. Robert USAF RET | 09.12.09
I find it very funny that people today who lived through Sept, 11 still criticizes our military and how we conduct training businesses.
They have obliviously forgotten how many sons, daughters, husbands, and wives in uniform that were lost on that day, and the ultimate price they paid. To that end I say to all media organizations “BE DAMN SURE ABOUT WHAT YOU REPORT, WHEN YOU REPORT ON ALL MILITARY”.
To my fellow military brothers and sisters, “KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK”.
To the rest of the peoples in this nation, “NEVER, NEVER FORGET THAT WITH OUT THE MILITARY THE UNITED STATES WOULDN’T BE THE UNITED STATES”.
Thank you for your attention.
SSGT. Robert
1987-2008 USAF/ANG
68. Mark Dillon | 09.12.09
cnn HAS ALWAYS BEEN MORE ABOUT BEING PART OF THE NEWS THAN REPORTING IT. I WOULD IMAGINE YELLOW JOURNALISM IS A REQUIRED PRE-REQUISITE TO ALL THOSE PERPORTERS WHO ARE MORE INFUSED WITH THEIR OWN APPPEARANCE THAN OBJECTIVE TRANSMITTAL OF INFORMATION. SHAME ON THOSE OF US WHO ACTUALLY WATCH THAT TRIPE THEY TRY TO HAND OFF AS ‘news’
69. Dale Moore | 09.12.09
CNN caused all the panic, and if they had spent one minute checking their facts before blabbing that a potential terrorist attact was taking place, all this could have been avoided. I expected better of CNN.
70. Mike | 09.12.09
This was not an exercise, it was unit training done within eyesight of their own station’s dock. This unit was 5 levels down the chain of command from Coast Guard Headquarters. Does anyone think the Commandant of the Marine Corps knows when a platoon goes for a daily training run? When told we don’t know what you are talking about, nothing is going, on nothing unusual was going on. CNN’s first clue should have been somebody saying Bang, Bang on the radio. Can you imagine anyone saying that in a real situation?
71. Sheilafalkowski | 09.12.09
Since when do the protectors of our country need to alert one and all to practice missions. The CG spokesperson stated that these are conducted several times a month. CNN is the only network that ran with this BEFORE checking the validity of the supposed facts.
72. CG in NJ | 09.12.09
I am not a veteran in any of the Armed Services. Having said that, I am proud of what these men and women do on a daily basis to keep all Americans safe, including conducting drills on 9/11. I DID see the events unfold with my own eyes that day. I saw the second plane hit the second tower and I saw both towers crumble. While those images are forever impressed in my psyche, I do my damned best to move on every day to be a productive US citizen.
We should not fault our military for trying to keep us safe. We should fault irresponsible journalism for trying to “report first” whatever news stories break. Repsonsible jounarlistic integrity should not be sacrificed for a ratings-boost. I watch CNN, FOX, MSNBC in that order. That’s never going to change, or perhaps it will if it is found that one of those outlets consistently try to take shortcuts in integrity and honesty out of a news broadcast.
So, to conclude, as a proud US Citizen that always votes on Election Day, thanks to the men and women of the US Armed Forces, I ask my fellow Americans to not fault our military but instead to put to task to our Media to please go back to the days of Journalistic Integrity and Responsibility. Coast Guard really did nothing wrong and I hope they continue on with their drills to keep us safe, for which I thank them.
73. Skipjack | 09.12.09
Come on… the Coast Guard runs this exercise four times a week with its Washington based crews as part of their national capitol region security duties. This was an internal tactical training exercise, which happens all of the time across the United States. It is not necessary to notify other agencies when the exercise is internal- the communications were on a well known specific Coast Guard working radio frequency, and they were clearly exercise communications i.e. verbalizing “bang bang” to simulate the judgmnental point a crew would fire their weapon. It is not unusual for the Coast Guard to be out training on holidays- I’ve seen them training on Thanksgiving Day. They are always conducting some type of training or exercise when they are underway. CNN screwed up, they are backpeddling, and thkrowing up a smoke screen in their retreat. Three words come to mind… sloppy, undisciplined reporting.
74. Richard | 09.12.09
CNN is not a news organization.
It is a lowest common denominator advertising medium. How many minutes an hour are commercials or promotions for upcoming news segments?
They are racing for the dollar without the slightest concern for useful or accurate news.
75. ddorton | 09.12.09
9/11/09 was a normal work day for the USCG and for the rest of the federal government. Daily training is part of the USCG’s job. This routine training activity was (reported in one source) conducted on VHF marine channel 82, a channel designated “not for public use”. CNN or any others with a marine radio may listen in on this and other channels, but I believe they are forbidden by law from using information gathered therefrom. I support the USCG in this instance and in 99.9% of anything they do. These people are professionals and do an outstanding service for the country. CNN should be prosecuted for allowing their “news bunnies” to read this misconstured and illegally obtained information.
76. S. Watkins | 09.12.09
CNN violated the most basic principle of good journlism, check everything. They should have dispatched a reporter to the scene before opening mouth and sticking both feet in. To call a CG station and ask is not enough, Personal verification is required.
The news report said there was shooting. None was heard on the scanner except for a Coastie saying “bang-bang.” That right there should be suspicious as such a verbal sound is not used during the real thing. Now we know why it is said, “Don’t believe anything you hear and only half of what you see.
77. Renee W | 09.12.09
There goes CNN trying to break news….trying to outdo FOX which does a great job breaking news and reports that are confirmed stories. Maybe CNN needs to do a little more digging on BOTH sides of current stories and they would learn how to be true journelists with brains and not just read what someone puts on thier telepromter (which sounds like the same writer our president uses…)
78. Mark | 09.12.09
To all that say the USCG should not have been there doing training on 9/11 .. get a clue. CIA, FBI Homeland Security all have a calendar, with a lot of dates highlighted. All those dates are dates that have some reference to world events in the past, that could have a meaning for anyone interested to harm the USofA. ON those dates, the level of caution is higher. And I guarantee you, 9/11 is a *very* high priority date. Yes, I do want them to be out, 365/year, training or watching, doing their job. We are safer because they are out there. Training never stops. It should not.
Chain of commands knew, it was routine, as every day is. CNN and their pal should have exercised way more caution in reporting. “bang, bang, bang” (said by voice) over a radio. …. ‘common, that was laughable.
79. Keith Cornelison | 09.12.09
First rule of sensible, sound journalism “If your Mother says she loves you, check it out.”
80. lulubelle1956 | 09.12.09
When CNN first started it was a ground-breaking channel. Now, it is just like Fox Channels–a republican corporate mouthpiece staffed by the likes of Lou Dobbs–it just recycles the same news for weeks on ends and follows or creates (especially Lou Dobbs) sensationalist stories based on false assumptions. This is just one more example of how low CNN has sunk. Once an avid watcher, I no longer tune in.
81. NBR | 09.12.09
What ever happened to a reporters (and an editors) first responsibility regarding a story such as this - verify, confirm, re-verify, and re-confirm - BEFORE placing foot in mouth. Shame on CNN. And, shame on the other various
media reports for not independently doing what CNN apparently failed to do.
82. Stan | 09.12.09
How come no one is criticizing Brad Knickerbocker for this unbalanced article? It is set up to make the Coast Guard look bad. Phrases like “simulated attack… a radio broadcast of mock gunfire”, the big gun in the photograph, and “exercise on the Potomac… Friday” imply that this was something more than a routine, verbal training activity. Look at the headline and heading:
“Did the Coast Guard or CNN cause the 9/11 panic on the Potomac? Most of the criticism for erroneous reports of gunshots is aimed at the Coast Guard exercise. But news organizations take hits too for going live with unconfirmed reports reminiscent of Chicken Little.”
The first two paragraphs, which is all some people read, are also extremely negative on the Coast Guard.
83. Jerry Medley | 09.12.09
This is a tough one. Lets see. The Coast Guard was doing their job trying to protect us and CNN, there just another one of those hack news agencies in the Obama tank and spend 24 hours a day speaking half truths.
84. Alastair Dallas | 09.12.09
How embarrassing for CSM, in a story about shoddy journalism, to attribute the “lie travels around the world” quote incorrectly. Although the quote has been attributed to Mark Twain, Churchill, Murrow and others, it goes back to 19th c. Rev. C. H. Spurgeon and possibly before him. It is not CSM’s fault entirely– Internet search results are inconsistent. The Internet is, however, conclusive with this link: http://bit.ly/iJ9as, a reference to a Google-scanned book, “The Quote Verifier” by Ralph Keyes. Perhaps CSM should pick up a copy for the newsroom.
85. prairieChicken | 09.12.09
CNN’s quality of reporting has deteriorated dramatically in recent months — too much sensationalism, not enough real journalism. It’s as though reporting “real” news is too expensive a way to rent our eyeballs for the advertisers.
86. Paul | 09.12.09
Anyone ever think that they are training on 911 for a reason. That is the time when the nut jobs are most likely to come out and reek havoc. They are in place doing “exercises” so that they are ready to respond to some crazy trying to cash in on the already tense situation. These people are heroes. While we sit comfortably in our homes, second guessing their actions and watching the events unfold on TV, they are on the front lines keeping us safe.
87. Rousseau James LeDoux,Jr. | 09.12.09
I am very PROUD of the Coast Guard in doing their job. The Coast Guard trains more often than people think. And it is because of ALL the training that when the Coast Guard is called upon that they can conduct their job flawless.
Yes it was on 9/11/09 when CNN reported the Coast Guard was after a unknown boat in the river. It was a REGULAR DRILL for them. CNN not the Coast Guard should the ones the families should be upset with. The Coast Guard needs to train, and even on 9/11 they need to train. And with the Coast Guard training that day it may have stopped something from happening.
And if something would have happened on that river on 9/11/09, The MEDIA(CNN)and the families would blame the Coast Guard for NOT being there doing their drills that day, which could have stopped an attack.
The Military is on call 24/7/365.and training is part of that.
I also have two sons in the COAST GUARD and I am very PROUD of them.
GOD BLESS all our men and women in the MILITARY.
SEMPER PARATUS ALWAYS READY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
88. Erick | 09.12.09
Oh please. CNN screwed up and lied big time but you’re not honest enough to admit that because they are comrade liberals. No one believes a thing you say. You just lie.
89. Betty | 09.12.09
I can understand people saying that CNN should be more responsible but don’t you think that the Coast Guard could have picked another day out of the yr, there are many more. Someone said the terrorist wouldnt wait,true but this time we had a choice.
91. Alex | 09.12.09
Well CNN finally got caught with their pants down. CNN normally distort the facts after an insident has been confirmed even though it may not be the complete fact.
This is why I quit watching CNN a few years ago.
92. steven | 09.12.09
CNN? who listens to them anyway? the liberal media will take any opportunity to blow anything out of proportion in the interest of selling advertisement for their sponsors. News? no. Sensationalists? YES
93. Jim | 09.12.09
Agree with the bulk of comments - CNN was really stupid in this case. Let the Coast Guard do their job. If another bunch of pontificating members of congress pass some sill resolution further hampering our security guys from doing their jobs, that will be the wrong result. Flying around Air Force One for a photo op was stupid. Routine training without live ammo is routine - CNN is what made this news - not the Coast Guard.
94. john axelson | 09.12.09
oddly enough…
i am someone who was once a news producer (now comedy-go figure) and before then.. i was in the coast guard.
when i heard this was a bogus story the first thing i thought to myself was … “you mean someone didn’t pick up the phone and call the CG Public Information Officer for that District? The phone is still the best way to make a story real… just check with someone before you run with it… doesn’t matter if you are a live cable “show” or not.. just pick up the fracking phone.
the CG probably shouldn’t have picked 9/11 to hold that drill.. but then again, they might have had their reasons.
95. john russell trunzo | 09.12.09
In the 1970s I was news director at a DuPont Award winning suburban New York City radio station. We had a large staff, by suburban standards, many of whom went on to work in NYC. I had a timed exercise as part of the job interview for new prospects. It was a sheet of paper that described having heard a transmission regarding an explosion on the scanner and received a cryptic phone call that might or might not be related. It said “You have 60 seconds before your next newscast. Write on this sheet what you will say on the air about this.” Some people would type so fast there would almost be smoke coming off their typewriters. The only correct answer was “Nothing at all, because none of this has been verified.” It wasn’t an original idea. I had adapted it from a similar test at Group W’s all-news KWY Philadelphia. In the beginning I disqualified any applicant who got it wrong. But by the early 1980s I gave up — no one got it right, because no one understood or taught the underlying concept. I spent 20 years working for Group W at 1010 WINS in NYC, where we also had strict standards of verification before anything was aired. I feel like an old curmudgeon when I say it’s too bad so much has changed, and so many people really don’t get the point of what news coverage is or should be. It ain’t that difficult!
96. Miles Fagerlie | 09.12.09
It’s for this reason and similar previous biased and factually incorrect misreporting that I have re-dubbed CNN as Corrupted News Network.
98. Erick | 09.12.09
How can anyone, ANYONE!, defend CNN? September 11 is a day for vigilance not cowering in the closet. CNN lied for political advantage. End of story.
99. Melissa | 09.12.09
I agree with a lot of you. CNN is at fault. All t.v. media outlets love to dramatizing the news and feel insulted if they are left out from an event they feel could have giving them recognition and therefore dollars. The coast guard could have sent out a press release but it was not necessary and I’m sure it was a private training that the news media does have to be so involved. Usually press release are for media coverage and maybe this was something U.S. Coast guard did not want or need media coverage. As it was stated by some, this type of exercise has happen in the passed. I think T.V. media news in general are the ones that cause panic in residents.
Thank my opinion but I do not live in NYC. It would be nice to hear what NYC residents think.
100. scott | 09.12.09
hmmm….maybe the coast guard shouldn’t conduct live fire exercizes during 9/11 in NY. There story might seem alittle more legit and CNN wouldn’t have had to seem so jumpy so maybe the story would have been set more straight
101. Dave N | 09.13.09
What better day to have high visibility deterrent than sept 11? I applaud the coast guard for doing its job. CNN is to blame for its false reporting… yet again.
And if anyone WAS scared, you need to grow a pair. If you did see the MILITARY in action, you should thank your lucky stars because they are there to do something about it. Wait to shake with fear when you see REAL terrorism going down and no military or law enforcement is aware. Since when did americans become such QQ crybaby emo wimps that can’t handle the sight of our own military boats moving around in a river?
102. Anndee | 09.13.09
Egg in your face Tony Harris, Kyra Philips and Heidi Collins for poor reporting and trying to blame the coast guards for your screw up then trying to shift blame. Look in the mirror you morons. The lot of you should be fired!
103. Dee D | 09.13.09
As for the Coast Guard conducting any sort of training on any particular day…in my opinion, the training is far more important than what day it occurs on. We’ve somehow reached a point in America where what may or may not “offend” one or a very few people ripples far too wide in its’ effects.
We’re up to our necks in egg shells and it’s time to stop.
104. Agent420 | 09.13.09
You get what you allow to happen. The US allowed their news sourced to concentrate until a small number of people own all the news outlets. Now we get all our news filtered by the filthy minds of the handful of owners. The Internet is not different. Now everyone wants to jump on the social networking sites where truth is a stranger. Independent news reporting is dead. Bought and paid for by wealthy people that now have your minds. Ditto heads, birthers, death panels, and all the other right wingnuts BS, all designed to keep you in the dark with regard to the truth.
105. will337 | 09.15.09
An earlier post questioned the Coast Guard’s training in highly visible areas. These training sessions are as much a deterrent to those who may want to harm us as they are a refresher for the boat crews. As a Coast Guard vet i blame CNN for jumping the gun. Kudos to those coasties for being semper paratus. Maybe their presence made someone think twice. After all there was a “terror raid” in NYC Today! The coast guard should not change a single thing they do. Where else would they train at the ymca pool with radio controlled boats?
106. retired uscg | 09.15.09
As a retired USCG Chief, we trained constantly after 9/11 to make sure this country was safe. We haven’t seen another terrorist attack or anyone else killed because buildings fell or planes crashed….anyone who critisizes the USCG for keeping you safe should find another country to live in. We did our jobs and keep everyone safe but you never see CNN doing any good stories about what the USCG does on a daily basis or the 33,000+ lives we saved after Katrina. I think CNN needs to do some serious research before putting out untrue news stories.
107. Rick Gryder | 09.15.09
While it is legal to listen to police, fire and other emergency frequencies, I don’t believe it is legal to report what what is said on those frequencies per FCC rules.
108. Wade Baker | 09.16.09
For once in my life I’m in the unenviable position of defending CNN.
There was no “training exercise” on the anniversary of 9/11.
There was an incident, obviously.
109. Thomas | 09.21.09
The Coast Guard boats involved with the training were three 25′ security boats. They are the same kind you would see escorting cruise ship in Maimi, same kind you see securing fire works shows on water on the 4th of July. They are out of Station Washington. These aren’t “gun ships”, they are small boats with M-240 machine guns mounted. They conduct this kind of training all the time. It doesn’t warrant notification to other agencies, as these other agencies don’t notify everyone else when they train.
CNN called the Coast Guard to confirm their story. When the Coast Guard would not confirm, CNN ran with the story anyway. As is all too often true with the media these days, QUANTITY not QUALITY was all they were concerned with. Because other news channels also ran with it, the only medium calling them out on poor reporting is print. That’s fine. The weight of this reporting error falls solely on the shoulders of CNN, their producers, and a reporter who ran with an unconfirmed story. There is no oversight however, and CNN will hide under “freedom of the press” to do whatever they’d like, with out being held accountable.
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1. jcfinley1 | 09.12.09
Training Exercises are extremely important. And, it is important maybe to tell local police and fire authorities on their onset. But, to let the media in on a planned exercise is not good. We have too many crackpots who will try to interject themselves into the event. CNN and other news sources have had many occasions where an idiot has either hazard themselves simply to get air time.
News Sources should check first without going on the air.