George Wallace: I may be an idiot (LOL). Unfortunately, whether I am an idiot or not, there are a lot of idiots out there. They will read the headlines and jump right to the end of the process, generating a furor. (Some of which I respectfully submit is due to our anticipation of their jumping off). I doubt it is the reporter's job to hold the story until all the facts are in. A reporter must report that facts as they exist at this moment.
I do not think that there is need for a retraction. The facts as they occurred (at that moment) were reported. This was big news and filled the blogs and the letters to the editor as people reacted to that news. Further facts came to light and were reported (sorry can't research it all now, but I know at least MND said that troops are volunteers, trained to a standard and had to demonstrate that standard before getting stuck in).Quite true, it did not get the attention, but as further facts emerged they were reported. Not the papers' faults if people didn't read the whole paper. Bigger news was emerging from India and the Lebanon.
Now you made a post a while ago asking why 'the lies were on the front page and the truth was on the back page'. Unfortunately it seems that's the way the news works. Leading to me to a post from Cobra-6 about 'scavangers of humans history' , but I digress....
Both statements are true, but I don't think it constitutes misconduct (IMHO).
Why? Are they playing fast and loose with the facts , no I dont't think so. "He said, I reported." I guess I am not saying that reporting the facts as they exist now constitutes, ipso facto, the whole truth, nor, by the same means can it considered misconduct unless the follow up point of view is not reported.
Once again, thank you for your insightful comments, but let's remember I am being the devil's advocate here having seen this up close. ('When asked, Police commented that at this time alcohol did not appear to be a factor in the crash' What at 1000 hrs ??etc ). A reporters job is to ask a question, get an answer , report it and develop the story. Reporters are not historians, they only provide the raw material for it, and some times that raw material is incomplete, even inaccurate or dreck.