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A History of Errors

SHOWCASE | April 09, 2012

Nieman Reports is compiling a list of important mistakes in journalism history -- a timeline of instances where the press got the story wrong; how the error occurred and what the impact may have been. Can you help?


Journalism is said to be the first rough draft of history, and rough it sometimes is. A Union victory at Bull Run, the end of World War I being four days early, and Dewey defeating Truman are some famous examples of media getting the story wrong.

Do you remember others?

As part of an upcoming issue of Nieman Reports devoted to the latest challenges in verifying information and combating spin in the age of digital and social media, the Nieman Reports team is compiling a timeline of errors and mistakes in journalism history. Let us know important errors that you think should be included as part of the timeline, including any information you may have about the impact of the misinformation or what went wrong. You can leave your suggestions in the comments below or send them by e-mail to Jonathan_Seitz@Harvard.edu.



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