Severity of Offense scores

1 - 2: Probably unintentional, and based on bad info that seemed legit
3 - 4: Not malicious, just misunderstanding of the situation
5 - 6: Reporting without checking easily-confirmed facts; lazy as opposed to malicious OR just dumb fluff piece using human tragedy as a background.
7 - 8: No fact checking; printing rumours as fact; sensational story more important than actual truth
9 : Fear mongering.
10 : Hysterical fear-mongering along with racial/cultural/political bias
11 : Satan


Comparing Fukushima to Chernobyl; Reporting "radioactive cloud" as fact; overplaying health effects of radiation emitted; reporting peak radiation as a constant emission.
Severity of Offense 5

Describing situation in Fukushima based solely on an interview with 22-year-old Australian 'teacher'; stating locals 'oblivious to the deadly potential of the radiation'; implying that Japanese media and authorities are deliberately keeping citizens in the dark, with people in the country only able to get accurate reports through foreign media.
Severity of Offense 7

CNN television in the U.S. has been showing on-screen headline banners that are unnecessarily alarmist. From just this morning:
Radiation Could Reach US Friday.
Nuclear Cooling Has Failed.
Severity of Offense 9