The dust has cleared and Rolling Stone magazine’s explosive story about a brutal gang rape at a fraternity at the University of Virginia has proven to be totally fabricated.
Once again, it comes down to a simple media guideline that sometimes stories are just too good to verify. Or the old adage of “Never Let the Facts Get in the Way of a Good Story.”
The news media has been on a crusade, often pushed by feminist groups, that rapes on college campuses are running rampant. The news media often feels anything that seems to verify that agenda is newsworthy.
Unfortunately, not one single item about the Rolling Stone story was true although its repercussions will be felt for years. If you happened to be a member at the accused fraternity you were kicked out of your room and it was closed and boarded up. You were ridiculed not just on campus by women’s groups and fellow students, but by your college’s president.
Now after a thorough investigation by the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism it was found the magazine failed to engage in “basic, even routine journalistic practice” to verify details of the (alleged) ordeal.”
In journalism-speak it means the story never should have seen the light of day. It will likely go down in the annals of Journalism as another example of journalism gone wrong.
However, there seems to be virtually no repercussions for the magazine or the author of the bogus article. Yes, Rolling Stone will take a brief image hit, but the publisher has boasted that no one on the staff will lose his/her job. That decision has stunned some real journalists (LINK), with one calling it “jaw-dropping.”
In fact, the magazine’s editor has even said he will continue to have the article’s author, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, continue to write for the publication. In essence Rolling Stone is telling its readers and the public it can kiss its butt and is above reproach.
One can only imagine if any normal business totally falsely slandered a person or group how Rolling Stone would respond. The publication would “demand” people be fired and take the moral high road.
It has been later reported that the fraternity that was slandered in the article has filed suit against Rolling Stone (LINK). In fact, the University of Virginia should also sue Rolling Stone because thanks to the story applications to the prestigious college were down for the first time in 12 years (LINK).
Sadly, the entire news media has been diminished by what Rolling Stone magazine did. And the fact the magazine is taking no action against those who failed to even practice Journalism 101 sends a signal that the media is above reproach. It is definitely a “Do as I say, not as I do” attitude.
How bad has this story made journalism? The Daily Beast reported that when real journalists dared to even question the rape story they were attacked.
The male reporters “were excoriated by feminists as rape apologists and “UVA truthers,” noted the Daily Beast story. ”How dare they suggest Erdely had fabricated parts of the story? How dare anyone question Jackie’s story?”
There is a reason why media credibility has dramatically eroded in the past decade. In the public’s mind news reporters have about as much credibility as used car salespersons.
Rolling Stone’s attitude on the erroneous story is a reason why many people today see little difference between what is written on a blog and what is printed by the “legitimate” press.
Today it is hard for journalists to claim any moral high ground.
ROLLING STONE: WORSE THAN CRIME
Dear Mr. Landsberg: Thanks for this posting. That great student of politics, Talleyrand, once said of one of the actions of his boss Napoleon: “Sire, it is worse than a crime, it is a mistake.” What Rolling Stone did in publishing this article was worse than a crime, it was a mistake. I have been active for some time in some of the local organizations in my town that try to deal with issues of domestic violence, and a problem we repeatedly have is people refusing to take claims of violence seriously. Now, Rolling Stone publishes this fabricated account of a gang rape-thereby making the task of those of us who work to protect the innocent against violence a lot more difficult. Rolling Stone magazine has acted in a criminally irresponsible way and by so doing has greatly harmed the cause of protecting the innocent against violence; they should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Sincerely and Respectfully, Ernest Evans
LACK OF CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS
Part of the issue is the lack of critical thinking skills by readers. I teach military officers at a DoD institution and we teach critical thinking skills. We ask students to look at all sides of an issue with skepticism. Look for bias. Don’t just accept something as the truth because it’s under the banner of NPR, Fox News, CNN, Rolling Stone or anyone other media outlet. Read other points of view, do your own research, look for facts and come to your own conclusions. In other words: have an original thought of your own. Sadly, too few in our society possess the skills or desire to do so.