With the amount of energy and cost going into this search, news organizations and "unnamed sources" should be held accountable for the breaking news they broadcast to the world.
Military radar tracking shows that the aircraft changed altitude...a source close to the investigation into the missing flight told CNN. The plane flew as low as 12,000 feet...according to the source....The official, who is not authorized to speak to the media, told CNN...
Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 dropped in altitude after sharp turn - CNN.com
This kind of information, if true, would be crucial to the search effort.
Unnamed "officials". Sources "close to the investigation". Everyone seems to be anonymous. The video that goes with the article also goes on to make other claims about fishermen interviewed by the journalist that saw the plane etc.
I find it disgusting, given what is at stake her, that this kind of journalism is splattered out by CNN. I think of the families in the hotels reading this, then bombarding the Malaysian authorities for verification. Who knows if CNN had the forethought to take it to them as well. But of course, all the sources are anonymous. So who's to know how that information came out, if someone is being paid to hand it over, what CNN did to verify it etc.
What a way to torture people. Let alone the constant timeline switching of the Malaysian Transport Authority, the effect of which also completely changes the likelihood of various scenarios that searchers have had to consider.
I can't think of a better example of poor crisis management, spurious information and wild speculation than with the disappearance of this aircraft.