Having worked in a daily newsroom for the past three years, my coworkers (and yes, myself) have occasionally made or let through errors in published stories.
And yes, we heard about it from the public.
The other day, I saw such a media error from the other side, through someone personally affected by the error: a receptionist I share an office with at the food bank.
A local TV news network reported that morning that a local bank had donated several hundred turkeys to the food bank, which would be giving them away. In actuality, the bank had donated MONEY to buy turkeys later, for holday baskets.
I spent all day listening to her apologize on the phone that no, that was a misunderstanding, we don't have turkeys, or, sadder yet, turn hungry people away who had come to the food bank looking for turkeys.
Later that day, the news station came down with cameras to interview the big boss, the president and CEO of the food bank, in the warehouse. I have to admit, seeing those cameras and journalists made my heart beat a little faster. I miss being on that side of the action.
I don't know if they set the record straight in that interview or not. But of course, the damage had already been done.
Poor receptionist was still getting calls days later and grumbling under her breath toward the media.
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