Posted on 09/10/2018 4:57:25 PM PDT by yesthatjallen
The Houston Chronicle on Monday announced an investigation into the work of one of its former reporters after editors said they became aware in discrepancies over the accuracy of his work.
The newspaper's executive editor, Nancy Barnes, wrote that another Houston Chronicle journalist raised questions about whether Austin, Texas, reporter Mike Ward made up quotes from non-existent people in one of his stories.
"We ask that you trust us that we've done everything we can to ensure what we've told you is fair and accurate," Barnes said in her post. "For that reason, I want to be completely transparent with readers and tell you that we have launched an investigation into the work of one of our own reporters."
The newspaper's researchers conducted a review, and could not find "a number of sources cited in Ward's most recent reports," Barnes said.
Ward has maintained that his reports were accurate and truthful, but has since resigned. The newspaper has hired an independent journalist to continue its investigation, Barnes wrote.
"Above all else, we need to be fair — to Ward, to our readers, and to other journalists concerned about their own reputations," Barnes wrote.
The newspaper's investigation comes amid heightened scrutiny of the media, which President Trump frequently derides as "fake news" and the "enemy of the people."
The president has in recent weeks zeroed his criticism in on the use of anonymous sources. Trump has claimed on multiple occasions that anonymous sources are "made up."
Reporters often grant anonymity to a source so they can speak freely without fear of retribution.
When the only sources seem to be anonymous sources then you can not trust the media. Anonymous should be rare and only if there is danger involved. If you don’t have the guts to be named then what you have to say shouldn’t matter
Let me guess. The editors needed a story convincing readers that Beto had a real chance to beat Cruz and the reporter couldn’t find anyone credible so he made some up.
I’ve had little faith in this internet reporting from the beggining. Not that papers were that better, but click bait and the volume produced leads to this. Any one of us could just make it up. Yahoo and all the rest are a joke.
The newspaper's executive editor, Nancy Barnes, wrote that another Houston Chronicle journalist raised questions about whether Austin, Texas, reporter Mike Ward made up quotes from non-existent people in one of his stories.
So, the difference between Ward and Woordward is a Pulitzer. Thanks yesthatjallen.
If a reporter uses an anonymous source, the article ought to be prima facie considered fraudulent until and unless the reporter can prove otherwise to a skeptic’s satisfaction.
They are pulling his articles from the internet pretty fast.
I’m searching and “article not found” pops up on the Chronicle’s site.
https://muckrack.com/ChronicleMike/articles
This site has compiled them together.
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