Image via @jaredbkeller.

Time magazine got a statement from Fox News:

This past Sunday during ‘America’s News Headquarters,’ a graphics error was made during a segment on former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The producer has since been disciplined and an explanation and apology will be made in the same hour next Sunday. Fox News regrets the error.

This, from a local Fox affiliate, may be the worst one I’ve come across (Update: actually, have a look at this video lower down in the post):

Reporting that President Obama has been killed instead of Bin Laden? Yeah, pretty bad. Then there’s this tweet from MSNBC correspondent Norah O’Donnell (thanks, Mallary!):

Gizmodo also has examples from the BBC and a different Fox affiliate than the one featured above. The Fox station later posted a story about all of the Obama/Osama mixups. It mentioned the other Fox affiliate as well as errors from CNN, the Modesto Bee, ABC News and Fox News. And after all of that, they admitted their mistake:

FOX40 also briefly had a graphic up with the wrong name. The original graphic talked about “OBAMA NATIONAL SECURITY ANNOUNCEMENT” and the B remained when it was changed to “OSAMA BIN LADEN.” Station management apologized for the error, as did the network anchors.

What else? Here’s a CNN typo talking about “Obama’s compound” in Pakistan:

Sky News declaring Obama’s death:

Update May 2: Here’s an example from NPR (thanks, Parker!):

Update May 3: A correction from the Charlotte Observer:

A front-page story in some editions Monday incorrectly referred to Osama bin Laden as Obama. In the same story, a photograph cutline wrongly said two aircraft hit the same tower of the World Trade Center. The planes hit different towers. Link

Update May 4: The South China Morning Post published this incorrect correction today:

In a headline on page A2 yesterday, the US president’s first name was erroneously given instead of that of Osama bin Laden. We apologise for the error.

Why is it incorrect? Because the paper made an Obama/Osama error — and that involves the US president’s last name.

Update #2: Huffington Post put together a great video compilation of all the on air flubs:

This may in fact be the worst on air Obama/Osama mixup of all. As New York magazine noted in its headline, “News Anchor Made ‘Osama’/‘Obama’ Gaffe Three Times in Seventeen Seconds.” Part of it is included in the above HuffPo compilation, but this is the full version. From Global TV in Canada

Update May 5: Yet another correction from the Charlotte Observer:

In some editions Wednesday, a front page story about tensions between the U.S. and Pakistani governments incorrectly referred to Osama bin Laden as Obama.

Update May 8: A May 6 correction from the Guardian:

An article meant to name Osama bin Laden, but instead said: “Asked on Wednesday whether the team that killed Obama had come under fire, (Jay) Carney said the White House had gone to the limit in providing details and that any more would risk future operations” (Photos reveal gruesome aftermath of Bin Laden raid, 5 May, page 9 turn from page 1, early editions). Link

Update May 11: From the Sacramento Bee:

A Washington Post story on Page A12 on May 2 and a McClatchy Newspapers Washington Bureau story on Page A13 on May 6 mistakenly used the name Obama instead of Osama in references to Osama bin Laden. Link

Fox News simply scrubbed the article and hasn’t offered up an explanation or correction. Noted Gawker:

This isn’t the greatest act of journalistic malpractice we’ve ever seen. But to post the news of a student’s suicide under the headline “GWU Suicide Tragically Coincides with Obama Speech” in the political news section seems a bit… chilling.

Here’s the Atlantic Wire’s screenshot of the offending piece:

Thanks, @akwhitacre!

*Correction April 15, 2011: This post mistakenly referred to Obama as “Omaba.” Thanks, Dee!

As is often the case, this led to a lot of mistakes — including reports from NPR, Reuters, CNN, Fox News and others that said Rep. Giffords had died. I've collected the mistaken reports and other notable reaction and commentary from Twitter in a Storify story below.

Update January 9: For those interested in figuring out the right way to correct tweets, I offered some best practices in this previous CJR column. And I also previously suggested that Twitter enable a correction function.

Update January 9 #2: I collected other notable commentary about the media errors in this post.

Let me know if I'm missing any notable tweets or reporting:

The video is at Outside the Beltway.

Then, last week, Fox News had to apologize again for doing the same thing. This time it used old footage of Sarah Palin from last year’s presidential campaign while covering her current book tour. In both cases, the older footage made the crowds seem much larger than they actually were. Here’s the on air apology:

And while we’re on the topic of Palin-related apologies, MSNBC also issued an on air sorry after it used Photoshopped pics of the former governor during a segment:

Editor’s Note: Sorry for coming late to this. I meant to schedule this post for Friday, but neglected do so.

Update Nov. 23: Now it appears as though my timing was good. Fishbowl DC today got it hands on an internal Fox News memo that outlines a “zero tolerance” policy regarding “on-screen errors.” This includes a range of disciplinary actions that management will take against “those who played significant roles in the ‘mistake chain,’ and those who supervise them.” The full memo is below.

One positive aspect of the memo is that it’s not solely about punishing people who make mistakes. In order to try and reduce errors, the channel will “start by going to air with only the most essential, basic, and manageable elements.” Trying to simplify things is a good approach; Fox News should also examine the processes currently used to put elements on the air, and figure out how it can improve them.

Subject: Quality Control

We had a mistake on Newsroom today when a wrong book cover went on screen during a guest segment, the kind of thing that can fall through the cracks on any day with any story given the large amount of elements and editorial we run through our broadcasts. Unfortunately, it is the latest in a series of mistakes on FNC in recent months. We have to all improve our performance in terms of ensuring error-free broadcasts. To that end, there was a meeting this afternoon between senior managers and the folks who run the daytime shows in which expectations were reviewed, and the following results were announced:‪ Effective immediately, there is zero tolerance for on-screen errors. Mistakes by any member of the show team that end up on air may result in immediate disciplinary action against those who played significant roles in the “mistake chain,” and those who supervise them. That may include warning letters to personnel files, suspensions, and other possible actions up to and including termination, and this will all obviously play a role in performance reviews. So we now face a great opportunity to review and improve on our workflow and quality control efforts. To make the most of that opportunity, effective immediately, Newsroom is going to “zero base” our newscast production. That means we will start by going to air with only the most essential, basic, and manageable elements. To share a key quote from today’s meeting: “It is more important to get it right, than it is to get it on.” We may then build up again slowly as deadlines and workloads allow so that we can be sure we can quality check everything before it makes air, and we never having to explain, retract, qualify or apologize again. Please know that jobs are on the line here. I can not stress that enough. I will review again during our Monday editorial meeting, and in the days and weeks ahead. This experience should make us stronger editorially, and I encourage everyone to invest themselves one hundred and ten percent in this effort.

More here.

• “He was just an old guy who came on a mission, and I think he got what
  he wanted.”
• “I think he just went because he knew he wasn’t going to come out alive.”
• “You could tell that he wanted the females. He tapped me on the
  shoulder and he told me to leave the room. I told him, “I don’t want to
  leave.”

Unfortunately, Grigg’s mother later revealed that her son was not in the classroom. It’s possible that it all started when the boy told his father he was in the room and the father then relayed this to the Associated Press. At least that’s how this AP correction makes it sound:

In Sept. 27 stories about a deadly school shooting at Platte Canyon High School, The Associated Press quoted parent Tom Grigg giving an account of the ordeal he had heard from his 16-year-old son, Cassidy. Grigg said his son was in the classroom when the gunman picked out his female hostages and the teen had offered to stay with the girls — but the gunman warned him to get out.
The student’s mother said Cassidy Grigg lied.

As is often the case, the boy’s remarkable first person tale was quickly picked up by other outlets, and now the mass corrections/corrective articles have begun. This correction was posted on MSNBC.com:

A story published Thursday morning on MSNBC.com described a 16-year-old boy’s account of a hostage-taking at a Colorado high school in which a gunman fatally shot one girl before killing himself.
The story was based on comments the boy, Cassidy Grigg, made on the “Today” show and to other media outlets. Cassidy said he was in the classroom at Platte Canyon High School in Bailey on Wednesday when the gunman entered.
Cassidy’s mother, Larina Grigg, said Thursday that Cassidy had lied and was actually in another room at the time. Link

WRIC, a television station in Virginia, ran with the story but then received a “withhold” on it and put that online. (A question for TV people out there: would a “withhold” be sent out by the network in a situation like this?) WRIC eventually removed the text from its site. We found this in the Google News cache:

Stations: WITHHOLD all of the items on yesterday’s school shooting in Colorado in which student Cassidy Grigg is quoted as saying he was in the classroom when …

FOX News has a story up, as does the Rocky Mountain News, and many TV affiliates. The boy’s mother told one outlet, “He said, ‘Mom, all those kids were my friends and I just wanted so much to help them. … I guess I just made it up in my mind. I just wanted it to be true so bad’.”

In what Fox News officials concede was a mistake, John Loftus, a former U.S. prosecutor, gave out the address Aug. 7, saying it was the home of a Middle Eastern man, Iyad K. Hilal, who was the leader of a terrorist group with ties to those responsible for the July 7 bombings in London.

Hilal, whom Loftus identified by name during the broadcast, moved out of the house about three years ago. But the consequences were immediate for the Voricks.

Satellite photos of the house and directions to the residence were posted online. The Voricks told police, who arranged for the content to be taken down. Someone even removed the street sign where the Voricks live to provide some protection.

Still, it has not been easy.

A driver yelled a profanity at the family and called them terrorists as they barbecued on their patio Aug. 14. Some drivers have stopped and photographed the house, Randy Vorick said.

Last weekend, someone spray-painted “Terrist” on their home. Police, who have regularly patrolled their house since the day after the broadcast, now station a squad car across the street…

The Voricks said they had made several unsuccessful attempts to contact Fox News and Loftus by telephone and e-mail. They want a public apology and correction.

Both have issued apologies — Fox in a one-line statement to the Los Angeles Times and Loftus in an e-mail to the family — after being contacted by the newspaper. The Voricks say they have yet to see or hear a correction.

“John Loftus has been reprimanded for his careless error, and we sincerely apologize to the family,” said Fox spokeswoman Irena Brigante.

Loftus also apologized and told The Times last week that “mistakes happen.”

“I’m terribly sorry about that. I had no idea. That was the best information we had at the time,” he said.