As a young journalist, the false report of Joe Paterno’s death is an important journalistic lesson for both new and veteran reporters.

Here are some lessons I have learned:

  • Take a moment before clicking the publish button – no matter what the platform.
  • Use multiple sources and consult others in the newsroom.
  • Being first doesn’t mean it’s right. If you’re first and get it right then it’s like hitting the lottery; however, if you’re first and wrong, you look really bad.
  • Your reporting matters to people, no matter the story. You could be doing a feature on a local shop, but how you report the story matters. The business owner wants to see how you’re telling their story. They have an investment in the story because it’s their business you’re reporting on.
  • Social Media is both an excellent and harsh journalism tool. Similar to point two, you could use it to share information quickly with a lot of people but make sure that information is correct.
  • We’re human and we all make mistakes. Revert to point one and two before publishing – no matter what the story is.

What are your thoughts? Would you rather news organizations get potentially false information out and be the first to report or wait?