“I don’t think that’s going to amount to much,” O’Reilly said of the phone taps. “It looks like they went through the warrant process and they had authorization to look at these records — the Justice Department did. But president Obama, he’s got some problems now. He better start to get control of the situation because there’s a lot of stuff going on.”

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Miller gets a lengthy profile from the AP on how he got so much right. The short version: experience working for law enforcement agencies, and exceptional sources.

“Sources are people you meet on other stories and you develop them into sources of information,” he said. “I’m calling friends, and I’m asking them, ‘What’s happening here?

For his part, Miller said, “I am reluctant to criticize authorities.”

“My interpretation of when they need to be (criticized) and somebody else’s might be different,” he said. “If you’ve been there and you know how that works and what it’s like, and how easy it is to take potshots from the outside, your criticism is more measured, your analysis of what is worthy of criticism and what isn’t is slightly different.”

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King, among other reporters at other outlets, reported that Boston police had a suspect in custody. A half hour later, as other outlets (notably NBC’s Pete Williams) contradicted that report, King and CNN contributor Fran Townsend began to walk it back.

In the WTOP interview, as transcribed by Politico’s Dylan Byers, King said the error was “embarrassing”:

“The bigger part, beyond being personally embarrassing, is it’s tough for your viewers, who you want to trust you,” he continued. “So the one thing you do have to do is look in the camera and say, ‘We were wrong,’ and try to explain why we were wrong. In this case we had two reputable sources — one of mine, one of a colleague’s of mine — who have been reliable in the past, who simply had bad information. We had two — you never do that with one — and we went with it, and we had to correct it.”

It was also personal:
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In a story on Williams this morning, Politico‘s Dylan Byers recounts a moment in the NBC bureau in Washington yesterday when a staffer told Williams he was trending on Twitter. “Williams laughed and replied: ‘I don’t want to be trending on anything!’” HuffPost‘s Jack Mirkinson and NationalJournal‘s Brian Resnick add to the Williams admiration. Writes Resnick:

In a media environment when fewer and fewer reporters operate on narrow, stable beats, when everyone is a “generalist” aggregating the same information everyone else has, Williams’s deep reporting background is invaluable. And members of the media—from other outlets nonetheless—easily recognized that.

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That didn’t slow the reporting on CNN and Fox News. By 1:50pm, Wolf Blitzer, along with King, was reporting an arrest had been made. Fox News, too, reported an arrest. NBC News went so far as to produce a network special report, anchored by Brian Williams — which aired on MSNBC — with Pete Williams again reporting, “No arrest has been made.”

• FishbowlNY: PBS’s Gwen Ifill Takes Offense to CNN Identifying Boston Bombing Suspect as “Dark-Skinned Male”

Williams added, “It’s rather confusing at this point. Partly because of the nomenclature here. One person’s item of interest is another person’s suspect. I would take a step back and say whatever is going on, it is a promising development.”

Stay tuned.

> Update: At 2:21 on Fox News, Megyn Kelly reported: “This is the situation we find ourselves in, folks. We got different law enforcement officers telling us different things. Two said to (Foxnews.com) that an arrest has been made. And now two are telling us no arrest has been made.”

> Update: At 2:28 on CNN, former FBI assistant director Tom Fuentes contradicted CNN’s reporting: “I have actually three separate sources, but two that are very highly placed and close to the investigation that have just told me that there has been no arrest, and, in fact, a suspect has not been identified by name yet, that they have — they’re looking for someone, but don’t have anybody in custody yet and don’t have an identification.”

> Update: John King on CNN at 2:46: “Part of this reflects on us, part of it also reflects on people you talk to, reliable sources, and Fran Townsend is one of our finest people, Boston law enforcement source saying we got it. When you have people who have been reliable sources if they’re ahead of themselves, we need to circle with them. We need to figure this out ourselves.”

> More: A CNN spokesperson tells HuffPost’s Michael Calderone: “CNN had three credible sources on both local and federal levels. Based on this information we reported our findings. As soon as our sources came to us with new information we adjusted our reporting.”

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All three evening newscasts were expanded Monday after a pair of explosions killed at least two people at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

The newscasts began shortly after President Obama addressed the nation from the White House press briefing room at 6:10pmET. NBC’s Brian Williams, ABC’s Diane Sawyer and CBS’ Scott Pelley had been anchoring coverage on their respective networks since the news broke shortly after 3pmET. ABC News and NBC News took brief breaks from their respective special reports just before the official start of the evening newscasts at 6:30pmET.

CBS News had Terrell Brown reporting from the scene and Don Dahler reporting from Massachusetts General Hospital. At the beginning of “Evening News,” correspondent John Miller took a few minutes to “clarify all these reports we’re seeing about a suspect in the media.” Saying he wanted to “proceed very carefully from here on out,” Miller reported that the person who was detained is a Saudi national who was seen running from the scene. “That may mean a lot, that may mean nothing at all,” Miller cautioned, noting that many people were running away from the blasts.

On NBC News, Williams was joined by Katy Tur in Boston, Chuck Todd from Washington D.C. and Pete Williams on the Boston police investigation. Williams interviewed an eyewitness, Serdar Ozturk, who saw the explosion from the finish line. “People’s faces instantly changed from smile to tears, and fear,” he told Williams. “People started running for their lives.”

ABC News had reports from senior national correspondent Jim Avila, senior Justice correspondent Pierre Thomas and Linsey Davis from the scene. Sawyer also checked in with Alex Perez in Chicago and Cecelia Vega in Los Angeles about security precautions in place in those two cities. “World News” ended with a montage of still photos from the scene. “We thank you so much for watching tonight,” Sawyer said. “Boston, as you know, is one of America’s great cities, filled with resilience and spirit. So on this day, when something terrible happened, we wanted to remind you of all those who rushed to help.”

All three networks have more extended coverage planned. Williams will anchor a special report at 10pmET on NBC, Terry Moran will anchor “Nightline” live at 12:35amET on ABC, and Pelley remained on the air with “Evening News” through 8pmET.

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The cable news networks pivoted to breaking news in Massachusetts shortly after 3pmET Monday afternoon as two explosions went off at the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

Fox News was the first cable news network to report the news at 3:06:18 p.m., followed just seconds later by CNN at 3:06:53 p.m. MSNBC reported the news at 3:08:45 p.m. All three cable news networks were several minutes minutes behind the first reports of the explosions on Twitter.

Fox News and CNN are relying on live pictures from Boston local stations. MSNBC has video from New England Cable News, which is owned and operated by NBC Universal.

> More: The broadcast networks also broke in with news of the explosions. CBS News was first at 3:10pmET, followed by ABC News and NBC News at 3:13 p.m. Scott Pelley is anchoring on CBS, Brian Williams on NBC and Diane Sawyer and George Stephanopoulos on ABC.

> More: Matt Frucci, the incoming executive producer of CNN’s new morning show, is doing eyewitness reports from the scene for the network. Wolf Blitzer is anchoring. And on Fox News, Shepard Smith is talking with WGBH’s Emily Rooney, former network executive and daughter of Andy Rooney.

> More: Anderson Cooper is on his way to Boston and will anchor at 8pmET and 10pmET.

> More: Here’s affiliate video of one of the explosions, as seen on CNN:

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Cable news coverage of the arguments looked very similar to last year’s arguments regarding the constitutionality of President Obama’s healthcare bill. In content, however, there was a difference in tone. Rightly or wrongly, the preliminary analysis from reporters becomes news in of itself, and this time around caveats were the name of the game.

NBC News law and justice correspondent Pete Williams last year said that the health care law was “in trouble,” and that it was “very doubtful” that the Supreme Court would find the healthcare law constitutional. He did include caveats in his analysis, but his comments (along with those from fellow court-watcher Jeffrey Toobin) ended up dominating the news cycle for over a day, sparking multiple segments on Fox News and CNN, in addition to MSNBC and NBC News.

Ultimately, of course the bulk of the law was upheld (although that day’s reporting had its own issues).

Today, Williams was much more reserved in his predictions, noting that it appears unlikely that the court will overturn Prop 8 outright, and that the court may dismiss the case outright:
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Specifically, he discusses the fact that he, along with CNN, Fox News, the AP and many other news outlets, originally pegged the shooter as Ryan Lanza, when in fact it was his brother Adam Lanza.

“I’m sure that every news organization that printed ‘Ryan Lanza’ regrets it,” says Williams. “I don’t know what to say beyond that. I don’t like to report things that are not accurate.” Law enforcement officials who’d whispered the wrong name, says Williams, “were genuinely concerned about it when they learned” the truth.

Law enforcement officials and an inter-agency bulletin pegged Ryan as the shooter though police declined to officially announce the name until this weekend, after they were completely certain.

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There’ll be coverage on NBC sites theGrio.com, NBCLatino.com and if you have Xbox, you’re in luck, you can watch NBC’s coverage there too.

Much more after the jump…

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The networks dispatched correspondents to the scene: Barry Peterson on CBS, Clayton Sandell on ABC. NBC had a report from Jace Larson a reporter for KUSA. The networks brought in crime, justice and medical correspondents: former FBI spokesman John Miller now a correspondent for “CBS This Morning” reported that Dan Oates, the police chief in Aurora was an NYPD Deputy Chief serving during 9/11. NBC’s Pete Williams reported on the weapons used Update: At 8:03, Williams identified the suspect as James Holmes, born Dec. 13, 1987. On ABC, Dr. Richard Besser reported on the injuries. The youngest shooting victim is a 6-year-old and is being treated.

Network bookers worked overtime bringing in eyewitness reports. Rounding out the reporting were cell phone videos and urgent 911 calls recounting the horror. Denver news choppers hovered over the suspect’s apartment which had been evacuated as police searched for explosives.

Fox News anchor Anita Vogel broke in with the news at 4:30am. CNN “Early Start” anchors John Berman and Zoraida Sambolin started their program early with the news at 4:44am. ABC’s Jake Tapper reports Pres. Obama was made aware of the news at 5:26amET by his Homeland Security adviser. The next news conference is scheduled for 1pmET.

> Update, 9amET: “CBS This Morning” is producing a third hour at 9am. The third hour of “Today” is devoted to the shooting aftermath. ABC News talked with a San Diego woman identifying herself as James Holmes’s mother. “You have the right person. I need to call the police,” she added. “I need to fly out to Colorado.”

> More: “Today” passed on airing its Friday concert this morning with Hot Chelle Ray. Said Al Roker “Because of the severity of the news we’ve decided — they’ve been performing for the crowd outside so they’re not disappointed — we’re going to bring that to you a little bit later sometime next week.” At 8:30am, “GMA” promoted its summer concert with Karmen and Dragonette, but did not broadcast any of it.

> Update, 10:05ET: The network morning shows are going live on the west coast for the 7 AM hour, with the full anchor teams in place.

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“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.

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ABC/CNN’s Christiane Amanpour: University of Southern California - Annenberg School of Journalism,  May 11

NBC’s Tom Brokaw: Arizona State University , May 3…Vanderbilt University (TN) – Senior Class Day, May 10

FNC’s SVP of News Editorial Michael Clemente: Warren County Community College (NJ), May 19

ABC’s Katie Couric:  University of Virginia, May 20

NBC’s Tom Costello: University of Colorado, Journalism & Mass Communication, May 10.

NBC’s David Gregory: Emerson College (MA), May 14

CNN/CBS’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta: University of Michigan, previously on April 28

NBC’s Savannah Guthrie: Hobart and William Smith Colleges (NY), May 13

MSNBC’s Melissa Harris-Perry: Wellesley College (MA), May 25

PBS’s Maria Hinojosa: Simmons College (MA) – Morning Commencement, May 18

NBC’s Lester Holt: Pepperdine University (CA), previously on April 28

PBS’s Gwen Ifill: Holy Names University (CA), May 12… Bates College (ME), May 26

More after the jump, including Koppel, Lehrer, Sawyer, Schieffer, and three Williamses (Brian, Juan, and Pete)

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Judge Judy this isn’t. As the Supreme Court concluded three days of Oral Arguments on the validity of President Obama’s signature legislation, the health care reform law, there’s no shortage of opinion about why most Americans never got to see any of the action.

“The Justices are appropriately conservative about the inner workings of the court,” Jeffrey Toobin, CNN legal analyst and author of the Supreme Court book The Nine told TVNewser between live reports Wednesday. “They all have great reverence for the institution and don’t want to damage it in any way, and that is a very understandable and appropriate concern. But, they are also doing the people’s business, and the people should be able to see it.”

What the court does do — largely because of C-SPAN’s relentless commitment to asking for more access — is to release audio recordings of the arguments at the end of every week. In the case of the high-profile health care case, it was every day.

“I think they are clearly softening their position on audio,” Toobin says. “They already tape-record it, so even streaming it live on the web would have absolutely no impact on their proceedings, and I bet within five years they will be doing that. Video is a completely different story, and I am less optimistic about that.”

Admittedly, the Court has reason to withhold video coverage of oral arguments, even if those reasons are based more on fear of embarrassment than anything else. A former clerk to a current Supreme Court Justice told us that internally there were two issues with cameras in the high court.

The first is that TV news will condense hour-long arguments into pithy soundbites. The second: that it would place too much emphasis on oral arguments, which are less important in an appeals court such as the Supreme Court than in lower courts.

NBC News chief justice correspondent Pete Williams tells TVNewser the “soundbites” issue really doesn’t hold water, and that there are likely other reasons why the Justices are reluctant to add cameras.

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A 5.9 earthquake struck between Mineral and Louisa, Virginia — 90 miles from Washington, DC — at 1:51pmET, but was felt up and down the east coast.

Much of the cable news coverage which had been focused on Libya, switched immediately to the earthquake. Our building is being evacuated … again (we’re on the 4th floor of a high rise in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan).

Back soon. 2:19pm

2:38pm And… we’re back.

2:20pmET: Andrea Mitchell on MSNBC, who was anchoring her DC show when the quake struck: “This is a three-story building and our studio is on the third floor. Everybody came down very calmly down the steps, but clearly knocked off of the air from the rumbling sense first described by my colleagues, Pete Williams, and others. And you know the glass and metal desk in the studio, that desktop started to go up and down and seemed as though everything was moving a couple of inches up and down and the papers going every which way, and clearly, it took a while to register.”

2:26pm: Bret Baier outside the Fox News DC bureau on Capitol Hill: “We felt it for 25-30 seconds. The floor shaking beneath us. And then everyone — the alarm went off and everyone went down the stairs. There are hundreds of people out on the streets in D.C outside the Capitol, outside all of the buildings. All these folks waiting to see what they can do as far as getting back in. We have just been told by the building management that we can go in right now and get our things and then 30 minutes from now they are going to shut down this building for right now.”

2:17pm: Wolf Blitzer on CNN: “We felt it here. We’re up on Capitol Hill in our building at CNN in Washington, DC. I was on the eighth floor and all of a sudden it just started slowly, you felt the ground floor moving a little bit. The desks started to shake a little bit. But then you could really feel the pounding and there was a real jolt and I’m guessing it lasted for 20 or 30 seconds.”

2:02pm: CNN’s Barbara Starr at the Pentagon: “Just a few moments ago as the building began

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