The above is a classic example of what happens when the systems that should have been in place to verify information are bypassed. Read the article here: https://web.archive.org/web/20141018153801/http://www.poynter.org:80/latest-news/mediawire/218077/ktvu-tv-reports-apologizes-after-incorrectly-naming-asiana-pilots/
The shame is that in the rush to publish sensational news, there was no one at the helm verifying the info.
All PRs must verify information – so should journalists. And good PRs pros and good journalists do.