False Stories

I really don't think there is an issue here. The very article that we were asked to read gave perfect evidence as to what steps are being taken so that this doesn't turn into a problem. For example, ombudsmen are ever more present in the industry now. But it's not like we need them, the public does a fair job of checks and balances. There is a good chance that when you write an article or report a story that somewhere out there, there is an expert on the very subject that you are writing about that is waiting on pins and needles to prove you wrong. Say you make a mistake, well then here comes the letters to the editor and trust me, someone reads those. The Oklahoma Daily tells me that they usually print every letter to the editor that they receive... with the exception of one person who sends multiple letters to the editor in a days period. What we are focusing on here a couple of stories out of a thousand that were allegedly "false". Lets take a look at where those people are now. Let's start with Dan Rather. Forced out of his job after the network aired a story in which an army of Internet users assured Dan that he was wrong. Even after an apology he was ousted. Credibility ruined. There is incentive enough to strive for credible journalism. Everyone here has a conscience... you live with it. If you mess up, it will be the first thing to tell you so. If you can handle that feeling then by all means go right ahead. There are your checks and balances. I don't think that this is an issue at all.