Fukushima via "my own" mainstream media channels

As the “news thirsty” person that I am, I followed the reporting from Japan via TV and newspapers with great interest (mainly from a set of Swedish media sources but CNN, BBC and the Economist were also among my sources). Seen from my perspective, here is the sequence of events as they were reported by the sources just mentioned:

Initially, both Japanese authorities and representatives for the owner of the affected power plants (TEPCO) ensured the world that the situation was under control. They explained that what we had witnessed was "just" a series of hydrogene gas explosions. No radioactivity had leaked out. The reactors were unharmed. The area around the plant was however evacuated; but only as a safety measure, we were told.

The need for manual cooling of the reactors remained. This was because all available means for automatic cooling of the plant had collapsed during the earthquake/tsunami. Sea water was used instead. Firefighters used hoses to inject this into the plant. Helicopters were also used to water bomb the reactors. Next there were reports of a fire in a fourth reactor. This was a reactor that had been shut down a while ago, but the basins with spent fuel rods could not be cooled. Hence the fire erupted. The evacuation area was expanded.

Great drama in other words, but all the time we received "reassurances" that everything was under control and that only a small dose of  radiation leaked.

 A few days later, evening press and later also television and newspapers reported that high values of radioactivity were measured in the vicinity of the reactors (it was mentioned in an article in the tabloids that very high doses were measured in a puddle just outside one of the reactors). Then, all of a sudden, it felt as if the news feed was strangled. It became increasingly fragmented and difficult to follow and get a clear picture of the situation. Everyone seemed to have lost interest in the events. I felt frustration. My “gut feeling” told me that this surely was much worse than what we had received information about. I began to look for alternative ways to get sensible information. I found this mainly via YouTube. This was in May/June 2011.