The Tabloid Watch blog highlighted an interesting UK Daily Mail correction this past week. In its corrections column, the Mail explained that it wrongly reported Nov. 27 that both of Parliament member Fiona Bruce’s parents were dead, but “in fact,” Bruce’s “father is still alive.”
But, iMediaEthics notes, the article in question, “Ministers order an inquiry into the care pathway payments that saw hospitals receive millions to implement controversial system,” doesn’t appear to carry a correction notice, even though the article currently reports Bruce’s father is still living. The article’s timestamp notes it has been “UPDATED” but there’s no apparent disclosure of error.
According to Tabloid Watch, the Daily Mail has at least twice before wrongly reported people were dead. iMediaEthics wrote earlier this year about a similar correction at the Toronto Star when the Canadian newspaper corrected its August 31 story reporting a 19-year-old named Errol Richards was “stabbed to death” when Richards “survived.”
UPDATE: 12/2/2012 11:01 AM EST: iMediaEthics is writing to the Daily Mail asking if the correction ran in print and why it’s not posted on the article. We’ll update with any response.