Junk journalism puts truth in jeopardy-The age of Trump has changed the game

The Lowell Sun ^ | 11-24-2019 | Editorial

[calvincaspian]

We witnessed an egregious case of irresponsibility by the media this week when the AFP, a global news agency with a Washington, D.C. bureau sent out a tweet and published an article containing a bombshell headline: “BREAKING More than 100,000 children in migration-related US detention: UN.”

It was a damning article.

“Nearly a third of the children being held in migration-related detention across the world are in the US, the UN said Monday,” it began.

“More than 100,000 children are currently being held in migration-related detention in the United States, often in violation of international law, the UN said Monday.”

In the piece the author of a UN study is quoted, saying, “Separating children, as was done by the Trump administration from their parents, even small children, at the Mexican-US border … constitutes inhuman treatment for both the parent and the children.”

Essentially, the story was about the cruel and massive humanitarian crisis the Trump administration had created. Out it went to the 1.7 million AFP twitter followers and then it was retweeted again and again.

And then it was gone.

Then another tweet from the AFP reading, “AFP is withdrawing this story. The author of the report has clarified that his figures do not represent the number of children currently in migration-related US detention, but the total number of children in migration-related detention in 2015. We will delete the story.”

[calvincaspian]

The American people deserve better than this. On a daily basis media outlets fire off tweets or publish articles that are unvetted, inaccurate or incomplete because the story feeds into their confirmation bias which is focused around the central idea that everything about Donald Trump is bad and unacceptable. Journalism is not about writing what makes the reporter feel good or what drives the outrage cycle to new heights. It is about delivering the facts regardless of any emotional fallout. That is why we put our trust in journalists.

Let us hope that the covenant between reporter and reader is restored to its respected place, for the sake of all.

[Sgt_Schultze]

"...but the total number of children in migration-related detention in 2015"

But the intent to blame Trump for the sins of obama was entirely was successful, as designed. Activist, agenda-driven, hit and run so-called journalism.

[Lurkinanloomin]

The truth and the Ministry of Propaganda are completely unrelated.

[Responsibility2nd]

I’m surprised they even acknowledged the lie. Usually when the MSM is caught in a huge lie, they just delete the story and pretend it never happened.

[Lurkinanloomin]

That is why we put our trust in journalists.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Trust them at your own peril.

There are very few actual journalists anymore.
Sara Carter, John Solomon, Sharyl Atkinson.
That’s about it.

[Sequoyah101]

As a consequence of the 24/7 news cycle having to be filled with something, the irreverent and unwashed blogospehere and the various unqualified tweetstorms and facebroke emissions no news at all is fully trustworthy. It must all be viewed with healthy skepticism, it has all been tainted until proven otherwise. Some sheeple don’t have the wherewithall tofilter any of it for themselves. They believe what they want to believe and their is ample junk to support them.

Yes, we deserve better but we will not get it. We have become an undisciplined mob.

[1Old Pro]

Journalists and their companies should be held responsible for reckless incorrect reporting.

[I want the USA back]

“total number of children in migration-related detention in 2015. We will delete the story.”
NO. You should just add these words: “This was during the obama administration.” Obviously you won’t.

[kiryandil]

There are very few real journalists left in America.

#PartyOverJournalism

[Boomer]

Can a bell be unrung? I think not.