Report release an event unsuited to instant media world

NEW YORK (AP) — News organizations scrambled to summarize the findings of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report as cameras rolled.

When the report finally became public Thursday, reporters raced through stacks of paper with blacked-out portions to glean highlights. Cameras peeked over shoulders to display Mueller’s words on computer screens. Anchors continually asked colleagues, “What have you found?”

Certain highlights were emphasized, like the president’s profanity when he learned of Mueller’s appointment and former White House counsel Don McGahn’s refusal to order Mueller’s firing.

The report’s sheer length made different conclusions inevitable, even within the same news organization.

Journalists were warned to slow down and take time to digest the report. But it’s a hyper-competitive world, with airtime and web pages to fill. And consumers are never more than a click away from rivals.