Newsweek's irresponsible reporting

I have been following the reporting (misreporting) drama unfold in the media recently. The Newsweek magazine had reported in its May 09 issue that us military investigators had found evidence that us guards at the detention center in GBay had committed infractions in trying to get suspects to talk, including in one case flushing a holy book down the toilet.

Any rookee would know what such a report is bound to cause. A respected and widely circulated news magazine such as newsweek should have verified its sources and double checked before releasing the news. Instead they went ahead and released it, only to get their fingers burnt.

I cant find words to describe how shocked I was to find out that the report turned out to be unsubstantiated. We already have the administration still reeling under the effects of the Abu prison scandal. The popularity ratings of the us in the world crashed and the administration had to sweat it out to put things back in order. And now this.

I do understand that its the job of the newsies to put the powers that be, on the mat. But there are limits to throwing shit around and later issuing an apology note.

Do they even realize what irrepairable damage this has done. The people who protested, dont even need half a lame chance to point fingers. And the magazine not only gave them a big fat reason but also a huge bat to beat with. Now since it suites them, they obviously wont believe the retraction. Fits well does'nt it.

Issuing an apology note followed by a retraction is not going to help. The newsies should be made to understand that such half-hearted corroboration efforts to earn publicity and increase circulation will not be tolerated.

Its equivalent to lying in the people's court.