'Tis an ill wind... disaster lottery

Local public radio interviewed a local newspaper: the man said he had nine reporters on the case, a web site that would be updated hourly, and he squeezed in at the last minute maybe even more frequently. He expressed some involutary joy as he noted that even the BBC was carrying the story:
21 old people died on Lake George when a boat turned over.
What would happen if say WAMC, this public radio station, might have said "we won't know all the details for a few days so we won't be reporting on this story."
There are other pressing things in this country: it's not just about selling the papers, providing us with unhealthy diversion. Otherwise, I'd just as soon have drugs for my diversion of choice.