Regret the Error » associated press

Lose a word, lose the meaning

Craig Silverman — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 12:00:08 +0000

In a story Dec. 14 about military sexual abuse, The Associated Press reported erroneously that an attorney representing military members and veterans said she was surprised by the dismissal of a lawsuit. Susan Burke said she was “not surprised.” Link

The reporter, not the president

Craig Silverman — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:00:31 +0000

In a Dec. 11 story, The Associated Press erroneously quoted President Obama as saying: “There are going to be people who say, `This is the socialist Obama and he’s come out of the closet.’” That remark was made by 60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft, not the president. Link

A better team after all

Craig Silverman — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 12:00:05 +0000

In a Dec. 4 hometown lead on the NFL game between Carolina and Tampa Bay, The Associated Press erroneously quoted Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris following a 38-19 loss. The coach, referring to what Morris described as poor play by his team, said: “I can take getting beat by a better football team, which they were.” Morris did not say, “I wish they were.” Link

AP mistakes Christopher Walken impersonator for real thing*

Craig Silverman — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 11:30:53 +0000

A retraction from AP:

The Associated Press has withdrawn the 12th and 13th Ld-Writethrus of its story about the Natalie Wood investigation. The story quoted Christopher Walken telling Washington, D.C. sports talk radio station ESPN980 about his recollections from the night that Wood died. The station now says that it was a hoax involving a station employee who was impersonating Walken.

That employee impersonates Walken on a weekly basis*, meaning there was no intent to deceive. A report from TBD offers some background:

Marc Sterne, who goes by Nigel on ESPN 980′s The Tony Kornheiser Show, impersonates Christopher Walken on the program every week. When he did so this morning, and made up details about Natalie Wood’s drowning death in 1981 (at which the real Walken was present), an Associated Press reporter believed what he was hearing and the wire service published a report about it.

*Correction November 21, 2011: This post originally misspelled Walken as Walkin. Twice. A very lazy error on my part. Thanks to Rogerogreen for spotting the mistakes.

Addiction, not addition

Craig Silverman — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 12:00:52 +0000

In a Nov. 3 story about a Texas judge who was secretly videoed beating his teenage daughter, The Associated Press misquoted the judge’s ex-wife. She blamed the violence on his addiction not his addition. Link

AP corrects context of quote from Julian Assange’s attorney

Craig Silverman — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 11:00:20 +0000

In stories July 12 and Oct. 27 on the extradition case against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange over claims of sexual misconduct, The Associated Press reported that his attorney, Ben Emmerson, said in July that the women involved in the case may have found sex with his client “disrespectful, discourteous or disturbing,” but added that it had been entirely consensual. The AP’s phrasing was intended to convey that Emerson meant the women may or may not have found sex with Assange disrespectful, discourteous or disturbing.
At the July appeal hearing, Emerson said: “Nothing I say should be taken as denigrating the complainant, the genuineness of their feelings of regret, to trivialise their experience or to challenge whether they felt Assange’s conduct was disrespectful, discourteous, disturbing or even pushing at the boundaries of what they felt comfortable with.” Link

Fuzzy numbers etc.

Craig Silverman — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 11:00:02 +0000

Describing Stoke-on-Trent’s ceramics biennial a piece said that “Portmeirion’s Staffordshire factory . . . now produces 140,000 pots a day”. That should have been 140,000 pots a week (Stoke inspired as it reclaims china trade from far east, 3 October, page 11).

In an Oct. 21 story about the 1940 massacre of Polish officers and others by the Soviet secret police, The Associated Press erroneously reported that about 2,000 were killed in the Katyn forest. The death toll was more than 20,000.

Pee-wee, not Pee Wee

Craig Silverman — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 13:00:35 +0000

In an Oct. 18 story about the Scream Awards, The Associated Press misspelled the first name of Pee-wee Herman as Pee Wee. Link

“Aging pop star” not hauled off stage by police

Craig Silverman — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 11:00:49 +0000

The original version of this story erroneously reported that singer Stevie B was hauled off stage during a concert at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., and arrested for failure to pay child support. Police said he was arrested after his show, as he was leaving the arena.

The original article saying he was arrested while on stage is no longer online. But it still shows up in the Republican’s archives with a headline and excerpt:

“Aging pop star.” Ouch. That bit was removed from the new version, which is where you can find the above correction.

This is also a notable correction because AP picked up the original report. So it too issued a correction:

In stories Oct. 2 and Oct. 3, The Associated Press, relying on information from The Republican newspaper of Springfield, Mass., erroneously reported that singer Stevie B was hauled off stage during a concert at the MassMutual Center in Springfield, Mass., and arrested for failure to pay child support. Police said he was arrested after his show, as he was leaving the arena.

Rest is fine

Craig Silverman — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 11:00:08 +0000

In a Sept. 8 story about a South African girl with progeria, The Associated Press erroneously reported that Ontlametse Phalatse is the first black child diagnosed with the aging disease. The Progeria Research Foundation said it is aware of two other cases of black children diagnosed with progeria who have died. The AP also erroneously reported that two South Africans have been diagnosed with the disease. The foundation said more than two South Africans have been diagnosed and that two, including Phalatse, remain alive. The AP also erroneously reported that the number of children diagnosed has risen from 48 to 80 worldwide. The foundation said the number has increased by 48 percent from 54 to 80. Link

Source of error

Craig Silverman — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:00:42 +0000

In an Aug. 30 story about agriculture damage from Hurricane Irene, relying on information from the Maryland Department of Agriculture on poultry deaths, The Associated Press reported erroneously that about 30,000 birds had been killed in that state. The department now says no birds died as a result of the storm. On Thursday, a department spokeswoman said that a mix-up during a conference call resulted in it releasing the false numbers. Link

Bit of a rush job?

Craig Silverman — Wed, 17 Aug 2011 11:00:12 +0000

In Today in History for Aug. 11, the Thought for Today omitted the name of the British poet who said, “Journalism is literature in a hurry.”
The poet was Matthew Arnold (1822-1888). Link

But she is his mother

Craig Silverman — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 12:00:08 +0000

In a July 30 story about Israel becoming a haven for Jewish-American basketball players, The Associated Press erroneously identified basketball player David Blu’s late mother as African-American and non-Jewish. She was white and Jewish. Link

Obama, Osama… whatever

Craig Silverman — Wed, 03 Aug 2011 11:00:59 +0000

In the initial version of a July 31 story about the Christian background of Anders Behring Breivik, The Associated Press misstated the title of an upcoming book about religion and terrorism. The correct title is “Islamic Pacifism: Global Muslims in the Post-Osama Era,” not post-Obama era. Link

Lovely guy

Craig Silverman — Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:30:03 +0000

In a story published in Thursday’s Tribune, The Associated Press reported erroneously that William Diaz-Wassmer had been convicted of raping, killing and robbing a Livingston woman and then setting her house on fire. Diaz-Wassmer was not convicted of rape. Link