Step it up, Associated Press!

How many times in our lives do we hear that the fact checking of a story is based on the work of the Associated Press? An incident during my dose of daytime television today made me question this agency--not just its existence but its accuracy in the context of its ever-present and dominating cultural force.

As I anxiously awaited Colin Firth's appearance on The View, the ladies were discussing various "hot topics" when Whoopi Goldberg announced that there was breaking news coming in from the AP. It was the announcement that Hillary Clinton would concede this evening that Obama has won the proper number of delegates in order to take the Democratic nomination. This, of course, is a hugely anticipated milestone in the presidential campaign. This news is so anticipated that Barbara Walters asked Whoopi to repeat the announcement before breaking for commercial, which she did. They return from commercial and continue on chatting when Whoopi suddenly interrupts the flow for yet another AP announcement. The Clinton camp wanted to squash the former AP announcement and confirmed that Hillary would not be conceding this evening.

How does this happen with such a respected and leading news authority? Within 5 or 10 minutes time a seemingly straightforward claim is proven completely unfounded and false. This is a case of black and white that needs to remain that way--either one will concede or she will not. There is no in between or wiggle room for debate.

To read up on just how powerful the AP has grown to be, check out this article. It demonstrates the breadth of influence the agency holds and may lead you to question, based on the atrocity above, exactly why it continues to be such a force in reporting.