So an organization as large as NASA can either walk, or chew gum -- but cannot do both at the same time?

Eh, separation of concerns. Given NASA's PR budget, it seems reasonable that they should be able to produce quality launch coverage.

The many people involved in safely launching a rocket are not responsible for providing launch coverage, and the people who provide launch coverage are not allowed to interfere with the many people involved in safely launching a rocket. If they're going to do a bad job at one of those jobs I'd much rather they do a bad job at providing launch coverage, but the two are not mutually exclusive.

Did they also shut down the bathrooms? You know, to focus the mind?

That is the worst possible take. The people launching the rocket and the people filming the launch are not actually the same people, nor do they take the same resources.

> You have a remarkably low threshold for "shit show."

I wish more people did. We certainly have an excess supply of shit shows these days.