The Wire is not the Bible

Wires are a super resource but they are not infallible, especially some of the affilate services. Do not take wire copy as the final word. If there is something tingling your Spidey sense, making you feel like something's not quite right, do yourself a favor and make a phone call. Or have the desk make a call. If it's a local story you're covering, call your reporter and have them ask questions.

At the very least, check the story on the web. You may be able to go straight to the source material, like a police or city website. If you are using a story from an affiliate, many stations post their stories on their websites. Even doing a google news search can help you catch glaring errors or at least raise a red flag. It could save you a lot of grief- and maybe even a lawsuit.