iMediaEthics’ latest round-up of amusing or noteworthy media corrections include facts about naked mole rats, number mistakes and family feuds.
1.Want to know a lot about mole rats? NPR published a story in mid-August about the naked mole rats, descried as “a pinkish, hairless, wrinkly rodent about the size of a small sweet potato,” but erred in some reporting. The NPR correction reads: “In this story, we incorrectly say that naked mole rats don’t feel pain from stinging ants. It’s actually the highveld mole rat, a furry relative to the naked mole rat, that probably doesn’t feel the burn of ant stings. Naked mole rats are instead immune to certain types of pain associated with injuries and inflammation.
2. One billion or one trillion?
Number issues are common mistakes in the news. An Aug. 22 NPR correction:
“A previous version of the headline said the budget deficit is expected to reach nearly $1 billion this year. It’s actually $1 trillion.”
3. Swimming three or thirty miles?
A New York Times Aug. 21 correction:
“An article on Monday about a migrant rescue ship stranded off Italy misstated the distance that four migrants who jumped off the ship hoped to swim to get to the Italian island of Lampedusa. It was three miles, not 30.”
4. The Sun apologized to Lord Spencer for its reporting on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s son’s christening and Princess Diana. The Aug. 20 apology and correction reads:
“Our 14 July report on Lord Spencer missing the christening of Prince Harry and Meghan’s baby Archie wrongly stated it was due to a family feud.
“In fact, there is no feud. We also wrongly stated that Lord Spencer refused to let the late Princess Diana live at the Althorp estate, following her split from Prince Charles.
“In fact, he offered her use of Wormleighton Manor on the estate. We apologise to Lord Spencer for any embarrassment caused.”