I really think this is more about the lack of journalism and accountability in the modern era of reporting news. The media jumped head first into the story, when a fossil was discovered in Germany.
They called this fossil "IDA". It was being held as the greatest discovery since sliced bread. They had major news stations CNN, Fox, MSNBC, Discovery Channel, National Geographic channel, on and on and on.
This little fossil was going to be or let me re-phrase that, was the missing link in the evolution theory. IDA was the link between the primate (Monkey/Ape) and man.
They had program after program of scientist standing up on television slobbering all over themselves on the National Geographic channel and for those that don't subscribe to it, they had it on the A & E channel, it's a basic package channel. They were going to make sure every TV watching, potato chip eating, couch laying bum was going to see their program.
"But there was one little problem. It was discovered that this was not the link. That's whats called getting a Monkey wrench thrown at you.