Fact Check

Media Goofs

News story goofs appearing in the major media.

Published June 29, 2007

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Despite the best efforts of diligent armies of proofreaders, plenty of slip-ups and mistakes find their way into print. Some of these goofs turn out to be quite amusing, and a few have achieved legendary status.



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Technical glitch on CNN web site revealed obituaries for several famous but not-yet-dead people.


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Newspaper reporter falls for the old "funny name" gag.


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Captioning glitch on national TV news program transforms an "enlarged prostate" into something considerably more exciting.


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Urban legends TV show falls for joke about Blackbeard's using a nursery rhyme to recruit fellow pirates.


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Photograph from FOXNews web site depicting the New York City skyline the morning after the 2003 North American blackout includes a view of the World Trade Center towers.


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During an interview with CORE national spokesman Niger Innis, MSNBC displayed a graphic identifying him as "Nigger Innis."*


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The New York Times issued an unusual correction to the obituary of photographer Marvin Smith.


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An Associated Press dispatch mistakenly sent out to newspapers included home phone numbers for hundreds of well-known sports figures.


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A 'Dear Abby' advice column was pulled because it included a letter taken from an episode of The Simpsons.


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Urban Myth board game falls for joke about Blackbeard's using a nursery rhyme to recruit fellow pirates.

* Entries marked with an asterisk will display in a separate browser window.


David Mikkelson founded the site now known as snopes.com back in 1994.

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