Journalists burned up social media Sunday evening with reaction to the scathing independent review on Rolling Stone’s “A Rape on Campus” story.
The comments were widespread with an undertone of sheer amazement at the journalistic missteps that took place during the reporting process.
The 12,866-word independent review authored by Columbia Journalism School Dean Steve Coll concluded that the Rolling Stone article is “a story of journalistic failure that was avoidable.”
Twitter seemed to agree. Below is a look at some of the reaction.
The most gobsmacking part of this Rolling Stone reporting debacle continues to be that no one talked to Jackie’s friends. How !?!!
Lessons from RS report: * Be careful with anonymity * Check derogatory info * Confront with details http://t.co/fVYwMoNwkp — Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) April 6, 2015
— Christopher Hayes (@chrislhayes) April 6, 2015
Hope it’s not true that @RollingStone is going to take down its UVA rape story. Publishers should never seek a “right to be forgotten”
— Richard Tofel (@dicktofel) April 5, 2015
#2. This could have been avoided if the writer, @SabrinaRErdely, had called more sources. All she had to do was call. http://t.co/vwqicyeQQd — Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) April 5, 2015
Lessons from RS report: * Be careful with anonymity * Check derogatory info * Confront with details http://t.co/fVYwMoNwkp — Nicholas Thompson (@nxthompson) April 6, 2015
The other lesson of the Rolling Stone mess: If a story seems too good to check, then check the hell out of it. — John Schwartz (@jswatz) April 6, 2015
I do think a massive part of the problem here is how we all feel compelled to do “dramatic example” journalism pic.twitter.com/MnicwBu43L — Irin Carmon (@irin) April 6, 2015
just a reminder: brian williams got a 6 mo suspension for exaggerating a story. — Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) April 6, 2015
If Rolling Stone editors believe in holding institutions to account, as they intended with UVA, they should resign. Fiasco their fault.
— Marcus Brauchli (@mbrauchli) April 6, 2015
Some wondered how it’s possible none of the staffers involved in the reporting of the story would be fired.
What does it take to get fired at @RollingStone? — Karen Tumulty (@ktumulty) April 6, 2015
Hard to believe: Rolling Stone retracts @UVA rape story, admits to worst possible ‘journalism’, and fires NO ONE. — Larry Sabato (@LarrySabato) April 6, 2015
No one fired. Same freelancers. No change in editorial direction. I hope that fraternity bankrupts them. — #PizzaTruthNow (@JohnEkdahl) April 6, 2015
If you want job security, Rolling Stone seems like a good place to work. You can be criminally bad at your job and face zero consequences. — Phony Bennett (@IfTonyTweeted) April 6, 2015
Others cited Rolling Stone’s answers to the report as more reflective of a company expecting lawsuits than serving its readers.
Rolling Stone’s answers seemed shaped by knowledge they are facing multiple lawsuits over the UVA story. — jasoncherkis (@jasoncherkis) April 6, 2015
This hodgepodge of fanny-covering reflects, rather than concern for readers, sound but ignoble litigation strategy. http://t.co/uQMYvtdsbo — southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 6, 2015
The 12,866-word review of Rolling Stone’s story found errors from the Managing Editor of the magazine all the way down to fact-checkers.
Publisher Jann S. Wenner has stated no one will be disciplined and suggested the erroneous campus rape story as an isolated mistake.