Alex has written about how CNN got it wrong this morning in reporting the Supreme Court health care ruling. Now Fox News has issued a statement of its error, or more accurately, its inaccurate report.

As we reported in our first post on this mess, FNC’s Bill Hemmer reported at 10:07, “The individual mandate has been ruled unconstitutional.”

Shannon Bream then reported that news further from the steps of the Supreme Court.

At 10:09, Megyn Kelly jumped in: “Wait we are getting conflicting information, we are getting conflicting information. If you follow SCOTUSBlog.com which covers the high court they say that despite what Shannon just read that the individual mandate is surviving as a tax. This is not confirmed by us yet this is according to SCOTUSBlog which also has the opinion…”

Instead of admitting the network’s error, Michael Clemente, EVP of News for Fox News, took a shot at other networks:

“We gave our viewers the news as it happened. When Justice Roberts said, and we read, that the mandate was not valid under the Commerce clause, we reported it. Bill Hemmer even added, be patient as we work through this. Then when we heard and read, that the mandate could be upheld under the government’s power to tax, we reported that as well — all within two minutes.

By contrast, one other cable network was unable to get their Supreme Court reporter to the camera, and said as much. Another said it was a big setback for the President. Fox reported the facts, as they came in.”

Unlike CNN, which misreported the news on air, online and through social media for about six minutes before a clarification, FNC’s two minutes of inaccurate reporting was solely on TV. Here’s how it played out on air:

When Ann Curry announced her departure from “Today” this morning, reactions quickly poured in. On the “Today” Facebook page, every comment on the wall from visitors was about Ann, with most saying that they were not pleased with the decision. Within 4 minutes of posting the story about Ann’s new role, the story received over 2,500 comments:

Elsewhere, prominent figures in the TV news business shared their thoughts on Curry’s departure.

CNN “Piers Morgan Tonight” EP Jonathan Wald, who worked with Curry when he was EP of “Today” and “NBC Nightly News”:

Boy does Ann Curry look great today.

— Jonathan Wald (@jonathanwald) June 28, 2012

Godspeed Ann Curry.

— Jonathan Wald (@jonathanwald) June 28, 2012

“Today” correspondent Jenna Bush Hager:

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“We want to reset what has just happened,” Wolf Blitzer said on CNN at 11 AM.

Blitzer was refreshing viewers on the events that transpired this morning with the Supreme Court effectively upholding President Obama’s healthcare reform law. It could also be seen as something of a metaphor for CNN, which needed a refresh after erroneously reporting that the individual mandate had been overturned.

CNN released a statement apologizing for the error:

“In his opinion, Chief Justice Roberts initially said that the individual mandate was not a valid exercise of Congressional power under the Commerce Clause. CNN reported that fact, but then wrongly reported that therefore the court struck down the mandate as unconstitutional. However, that was not the whole of the Court’s ruling. CNN regrets that it didn’t wait to report out the full and complete opinion regarding the mandate. We made a correction within a few minutes and apologize for the error.”

After Blitzer’s introduction at the top of the hour, he threw to Kate Bolduan standing outside the Supreme Court, who walked viewers through what had just happened. She said Supreme Court producer Bill Mears was sending the information about the decision to her and other reporters (appearing to place the burden of the incorrect information on his shoulders), although Blitzer cut her off to throw to Senator Tom Harkin at a rally by the court.

Unfortunately, the Harkin feed didn’t have any good audio, so Blitzer returned to Bolduan. A few minutes later, John King and Jeffrey Toobin (making his first appearance since the ruling) appeared on camera to explain what happened inside the courtroom. The issue, according to Toobin, was that Chief Justice Roberts began to read the decision, and it sounded like it would be overturned. He then took “a left-hand turn” and upheld the law.

Given that the popular opinion among cable news talking heads–including Toobin–was that it would be overturned, CNN staffers may have been primed for that result. A source at CNN tells TVNewser that they had a number of stories ready to go, depending on how the Supreme Court ruled.

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“Good Morning America” made mention of the news “across town” at the “Today” show: Ann Curry‘s emotional farewell to the show.

“Our friend and colleague Ann Curry just announced that she will be taking a big new role at NBC where she’s going to be covering the stories she cares about most,” said George Stephanopoulos.

“I know she is very emotional right now, she loves the people there and as you said will continue on at NBC News,” said Robin Roberts.

Recent ABC transplant Amy Robach added, “There is no one better than Ann. She is the heart and soul of that network and I wish her the very best.” Robach was anchor of “Weekend Today” for several years and joined ABC News last month.

“GMA” broke “Today’s” 16-year winning streak in April, and the two shows have been in a back-and-forth battle for first place since.

WATCH:

FishbowlDC’s Betsy Rothstein talked with “USA Today” reporter Susan Page this morning about her interview with Ann Curry in which Curry outlined her “Today” show departure.

Page, “USA Today’s” DC bureau chief, mainly covers politics so we wanted to know how she got the interview with the most talked-about media personality of the past few weeks.

“Better to ask Ann Curry why she chose USA TODAY for this interview,” Page says. “My experience with people in the news, in politics and elsewhere, is that they are drawn to USA TODAY’s national reach and our reputation for fairness.”

Page also says her relationship with DC power lawyer Bob Barnett, who represented Curry during negotiations, helped. “I have done some interviews with political authors represented by Bob Barnett, and I believe Bob suggested my name.”

As noted by TVNewser contributor Alissa Krinsky on Twitter, it’s probably not a coincidence that Savannah Guthrie and Natalie Morales both wore black this morning on “Today.”

For her part, on her final day, Curry wore red. In her one and only interview with USA Today reporter Susan Page, Curry talked about the “crazy-colored highlighter-toned dresses I wear that you could probably see from outer space.”

“I’ve worn them because I know every one of us needs a little brightness in the morning,” she said.

In a note to NBC News and MSNBC staffers, obtained by TVNewser, NBC News president Steve Capus fine-tuned what Ann Curry‘s new role with NBC will be.

“In her new role, Ann will report on the global and domestic humanitarian stories that our viewers need to know and care about,”said Capus. “I can assure you, she will pursue these efforts with dedication, empathy and tenacity. NBC News is in much better shape with Ann Curry out there reporting these stories.”

Capus’ note after the jump…

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The expediency of TV news is not meeting well with the depth involved in the ruling on the Affordable Care Act of 2010, more commonly known as Obamacare.

“Be cautious with us, we’re trying to do the best we can,” said Bill Hemmer on Fox News, at 10:11am. “We may need to update our lower third, which may not be correct,” added Megyn Kelly, which stated the court had ruled the individual mandate unconstitutional.

At 10:07, CNN’s Kate Bolduan reported the same: “It appears as if the Supreme Court justices have struck down the individual mandate.”

“Wow, that’s a dramatic moment, if in fact the Supreme Court has ruled the individual mandate is in fact unconstitutional,” said Wolf Blitzer.

In fact, they didn’t and it was more complicated than that.

At 10:11am, a breathless NBC justice correspondent Pete Williams got it right in an NBC/MSNBC simulcast, “They have said that it can’t be upheld under the commerce clause, the individual mandate can’t. But [Chief Justice John Roberts] said it can be upheld under the court’s taxing authority. So the bottom line here is the Supreme Court has upheld the health care law. It is a penalty, not a tax.”

That clear enough?

Probably not. Our suggestion: see how the three evening newscasts report it, or read the New York Times.

As for the broadcast networks:  Matt Lauer anchored on NBC until 10:26am, Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos on ABC, with Terry Moran at the court also aired their special report until 10:26. On CBS, Scott Pelley was in Washington along with Jan Crawford at the court with their special report running until 10:30. And FNC’s Jon Scott anchored on FOX stations until 10:27

HLN, CNBC, Fox Business, Bloomberg and C-Span, are also giving the decision extensive coverage.

On one of the biggest news mornings in recent months, with the health care ruling expected soon from the Supreme Court, Fox News Channel is not available on New York City’s biggest cable system. Time Warner Cable just tweeted:

We are currently working on an issue which is affecting Fox News in NYC sorry for any inconvenience. ^JC

— Time Warner Cable(@TWCableHelp) June 28, 2012

Time Warner Cable was once part of Time Warner, parent of CNN. But, in an odd coincidence, and along the same lines as News Corp. is announcing today, Time Warner Cable was spun off from Time Warner Inc. in 2009.

> Update: The signal came back just before the Supreme Court ruling came in.

After nearly 15 years with “Today,” and the last year as co-host Ann Curry is exiting the NBC News morning show, she announced at the close of this morning’s broadcast.

“This is not easy to say, but today is going to be my last morning as a regular co-host of ‘Today,’” Curry said through tears. “This is not as I expected to ever leave this couch after 15 years, but I am so grateful. Especially to all of you who watch.”

“After all of these years, I don’t even know if I can sleep in anymore. I don’t even know if I can, but I know that whatever time I wake up, I know I’ll be missing you,” Curry said. “For all of you who saw me as a groundbreaker, I’m sorry I couldn’t carry the ball over the finish line, but I sure did try.”

Curry, who was flanked on the couch by Matt Lauer, Al Roker and Natalie Morales, offered details on her new role at NBC, “Today” anchor-at-large and national/international correspondent.

“They’re giving me some fancy new titles, which essentially means I’m going to get tickets to every big story we want to cover with a terrific team of my choosing,” she said. “We’re going to go all over the world and all over this country in a time when this country and this world needs clarity.”

When “Today” returned after a commercial break at the top of the 9amET hour, Curry’s seat on the couch was occupied by 9am co-host Savannah Guthrie, who is the reported replacement for Curry.

Curry’s announcement comes after a week of public speculation about her future on “Today.” It was first reported last Thursday that NBC executives were readying a plan to replace her before the Olympics, which begin next month.

Curry spent 13 years as “Today’s” news reader before succeeding Meredith Vieira as co-host last June. Since she stepped into that role, ABC’s “Good Morning America” has gained on “Today” in the ratings, snapping NBC’s 16-year winning streak in April and winning several weeks since.

Watch Curry’s announcement here: