MSNBC and CNN are livestreaming from the San Bernardino suspects’ apartment. It’s both irresponsible and terrible television.

The landlord of Sayed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik supposedly invited them into the apartment, which is currently crawling with cameras and journalists. The result is both creepy, perverse, and more than a bit boring: anchors are attempting to find any bits of significant information, which means that there’s a lot of speculation, almost all of it immediately proven wrong, and a lot of irresponsibility. While I was watching, MSNBC showed a close-up shot of a driver’s license; I’ve seen reports that bank information and social security cards have also been shown. Most of the time, however, the result is something like the “I love lamp” scene in Anchorman: “There’s a calendar... there are some clothes... oh, look, a Koran.”  

It’s still unclear if the networks are allowed to be in the apartment. On CNN, two analysts were visibly and audibly shocked that these images were being broadcast. Harry Houck, for instance said, “I’m having chills down my spine with what I’m seeing here. This apartment clearly is full of evidence.” MSNBC cut its livestream after being roundly criticized. 

Update: The landlord says the journalists weren’t invited, but “rushed” in anyway. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Times reports a crowbar was used to “open the plywood-covered front door, allowing a rush of reporters, photographers and videographers to spill into the home.”