Errors do happen, but they must be publicly corrected to help the learning process.
When I was a child, it was easy to slip into the notion that if nobody noticed my wrongdoing (for example, eating a few extra cookies despite being told not to), I didn't do anything wrong at all. Why would I own up to something that nobody even cared to punish me for?
It sounds silly, but some journalists apply that same theory when correcting factual errors in online content. The Post does not.
Unfortunately, The Post had several errors this week both online and in our print edition. We were quick to amend those incorrect facts in both formats — no matter how large or small the factual error — and had frank and open discussions about where we went wrong. As always, we're working to improve.
Lucky for us, amending factual errors on our website is as easy as typing up a quick correction, placing it in the story, and hitting "publish." For some, the only hardship in that process is the permanent tattoo on a reporter's online story saying that they relayed incorrect information to the reader, and thus failed to do their job as a reporter.
If that sounds serious, it's because it is. A correction, no matter how small, affects our integrity as journalists and can develop a sense of distrust between the reader and reporter.
So, here's our real-world example. BuzzFeed, an online publication many at The Post love, read and even want to work for, mentioned The Post's write-up on drinking games to play during Thursday night's GOP debate in a story of its own. The only problem was that the article associated The Post with Ohio State University (gasp!) and not Ohio University.
Posties were quick to point out the mistake, and BuzzFeed was quick to change the story. However, if you weren't actively reading the article and anticipating a correction, you wouldn't have known. BuzzFeed, despite having a thorough ethics policy, neglected to add a formal correction to the story.
Is that the biggest deal in the world? Probably not. But for the reader — in this case, a few Posties — that noticed the mistake, it can quickly create a sense of distrust.
We owe it to our readers to be honest — that's what you can expect out of our reporters each day. Honest reporting, honest sourcing and honest writing. That means honestly correcting our errors, too. If we mess up, we want you to know about it.
If it upsets a reporter to admit his or her mistake, then maybe they should be more diligent in checking facts. Sort of like how when I was a kid, I knew the best way to stay out of trouble was just to eat my allotted amount of cookies.
The Post won't wait to be punished to do the right thing. Our possible embarrassment won't result in reluctance to properly correct a story.
If we've done something wrong, holding ourselves accountable is just another part of the job.
Emma Ockerman is a junior studying journalism and editor-in-chief of The Post. Do you have any questions for Emma about The Post? Email her at eo300813@ohio.edu or talk to her on Twitter @eockerman.
