SALON

Monday, May 20, 2013 7:15 PM UTC

Watchdogs: ABC “in danger of losing a lot of credibility” on Benghazi saga

After inaccurate reporting transformed the trajectory of the story, the network doubles down and denies culpability

By

Topics: ABC, Jon Karl, Benghazi, Media, Editor's Pick, Media Criticism, ABC news, ,

Watchdogs: ABC Jonathan Karl

After ABC News’ Jonathan Karl issued a brief statement yesterday — that stopped short of an apology — regarding his hyped-up report of Obama administration emails on Benghazi, which he falsely claimed to have “obtained” and “reviewed,” media watchdogs are not satisfied that Karl has owned up to his mistake.

To review, Karl erroneously reported that he’d personally seen emails that showed national security adviser Ben Rhodes seeming to intervene on behalf of the State Department in a turf battle with the CIA — but the actual emails (uncovered by CNN’s Jake Tapper) revealed Rhodes did not mention the State Department at all. It was later shown that Karl had not actually obtained or reviewed the emails, but he and the network stood by his reporting and story, anyway. Karl did not show up on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday to address the issue but instead released a terse statement to CNN doubling down on his contention that the story was solid.

If ABC is standing by the story, said Kelly McBride, who teaches journalism ethics at the Poynter Institue, then they need to explain in detail which parts of the story are rescuable and which are not. “I think they’re in danger of losing a lot of credibility because they can’t say here’s what we got right and why we got it right, and that’s really what they should be doing,” she said an interview with Salon.

“It is my belief this latest statement from Karl confuses rather than clarifies. Ethical transparency is not being achieved,” Tim McGuire, a journalism professor at Arizona State University and a former president of the American Society of Newspaper Editors, told Salon in an email.

In his brief statement to CNN, Karl said the story “still entirely stands.” But as Josh Marshall wrote today, “This is simply false. Folks on either side can disagree over how much it changed the story. But you can’t have a major part of the story be false and have the story ‘entirely stand.’”

Fred Brown, who sits on the Society of Professional Journalists’ Ethics Committee and teaches at the University of Denver (he literally wrote the book on this), told Salon that ABC News should have been more forthcoming more quickly after they realized that they had been played by a source. “You have and obligation to come clean as soon as possible,” he said in an interview.

Brown added that they should have revealed more information about their source in the first place so readers would have been better informed about possible motivations. This doesn’t necessarily mean eliminating anonymity entirely, though that’s ideal, but knowing that it came from Republicans would be helpful, he said. “The more information the better.”

Rick Rockwell, who teaches journalism ethics and is the director of the International Media School at American University, told Salon that professional ethics codes dictate that reporters “be accountable for what we write, not defensive.”

“Getting ABC to those admissions that they followed a sloppy process in the construction of their flawed exclusive revealed the network to be reluctant when it comes to following the ethical path,” said Rockwell, who once worked for ABC News himself.

Jay Rosen, a prominent media commentator and a journalism professor at New York University also criticized Karl and ABC for “obfuscating” and failing to take the issue seriously. “Jon Karl has dragged the entire news division at ABC (and now George Stephanopoulos) into his self-dug pit. He got played. His colleagues at other news organizations know it. His friends at the network, were they real friends, would try to talk him out of this disastrous state of denial,” Rosen wrote on his blog.

Every expert we spoke with preached a doctrine of transparency. Mistakes happen, but audiences expect journalists to be up front about them and provide as much information as possible about what went wrong as soon as possible. ABC failed to do that here, they said.

Could showing how the sausage is made undermine public trust in the media? Maybe, but “I don’t think it’s possible for the public to think less of us in journalism,” McBride quipped. Indeed, Americans are not too fond of the mainstream media, and sometimes it’s not hard to see why.

Alex Seitz-Wald

Alex Seitz-Wald is Salon's political reporter. Email him at aseitz-wald@salon.com, and follow him on Twitter @aseitzwald. More Alex Seitz-Wald.

You Might Also Like

More Related Stories

Featured Slide Shows

7 motorist-friendly camping sites

close X
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Sponsored Post

  • White River National Forest via Lower Crystal Lake, Colorado
    For those OK with the mainstream, White River Forest welcomes more than 10 million visitors a year, making it the most-visited recreation forest in the nation. But don’t hate it for being beautiful; it’s got substance, too. The forest boasts 8 wilderness areas, 2,500 miles of trail, 1,900 miles of winding service system roads, and 12 ski resorts (should your snow shredders fit the trunk space). If ice isn’t your thing: take the tire-friendly Flat Tops Trail Scenic Byway — 82 miles connecting the towns of Meeker and Yampa, half of which is unpaved for you road rebels.
    fs.usda.gov/whiteriveryou


    Image credit: Getty

  • Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest via Noontootla Creek, Georgia
    Boasting 10 wildernesses, 430 miles of trail and 1,367 miles of trout-filled stream, this Georgia forest is hailed as a camper’s paradise. Try driving the Ridge and Valley Scenic Byway, which saw Civil War battles fought. If the tall peaks make your engine tremble, opt for the relatively flat Oconee National Forest, which offers smaller hills and an easy trail to the ghost town of Scull Shoals. Scaredy-cats can opt for John’s Mountain Overlook, which leads to twin waterfalls for the sensitive sightseer in you.
    fs.usda.gov/conf


    Image credit: flickr/chattoconeenf

  • Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area via Green Road, Michigan
    The only national forest in Lower Michigan, the Huron-Mainstee spans nearly 1 million acres of public land. Outside the requisite lush habitat for fish and wildlife on display, the Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area is among the biggest hooks for visitors: offering beach camping with shores pounded by big, cerulean surf. Splash in some rum and you just might think you were in the Caribbean.
    fs.usda.gov/hmnf


    Image credit: umich.edu

  • Canaan Mountain via Backcountry Canaan Loop Road, West Virginia
    A favorite hailed by outdoorsman and author Johnny Molloy as some of the best high-country car camping sites anywhere in the country, you don’t have to go far to get away. Travel 20 miles west of Dolly Sods (among the busiest in the East) to find the Canaan Backcountry (for more quiet and peace). Those willing to leave the car for a bit and foot it would be remiss to neglect day-hiking the White Rim Rocks, Table Rock Overlook, or the rim at Blackwater River Gorge.
    fs.usda.gov/mnf


    Image credit: Getty

  • Mt. Rogers NRA via Hurricane Creek Road, North Carolina
    Most know it as the highest country they’ll see from North Carolina to New Hampshire. What they may not know? Car campers can get the same grand experience for less hassle. Drop the 50-pound backpacks and take the highway to the high country by stopping anywhere on the twisting (hence the name) Hurricane Road for access to a 15-mile loop that boasts the best of the grassy balds. It’s the road less travelled, and the high one, at that.
    fs.usda.gov/gwj


    Image credit: wikipedia.org

  • Long Key State Park via the Overseas Highway, Florida
    Hiking can get old; sometimes you’d rather paddle. For a weekend getaway of the coastal variety and quieter version of the Florida Keys that’s no less luxe, stick your head in the sand (and ocean, if snorkeling’s your thing) at any of Long Key’s 60 sites. Canoes and kayaks are aplenty, as are the hot showers and electric power source amenities. Think of it as the getaway from the typical getaway.
    floridastateparks.org/longkey/default.cfm


    Image credit: floridastateparks.org

  • Grand Canyon National Park via Crazy Jug Point, Arizona
    You didn’t think we’d neglect one of the world’s most famous national parks, did you? Nor would we dare lead you astray with one of the busiest parts of the park. With the Colorado River still within view of this cliff-edge site, Crazy Jug is a carside camper’s refuge from the troops of tourists. Find easy access to the Bill Hall Trail less than a mile from camp, and descend to get a peek at the volcanic Mt. Trumbull. (Fear not: It’s about as active as your typical lazy Sunday in front of the tube, if not more peaceful.)
    fs.usda.gov/kaibab


    Image credit: flickr/Irish Typepad

  • As the go-to (weekend) getaway car for fiscally conscious field trips with friends, the 2013 MINI Convertible is your campground racer of choice, allowing you and up to three of your co-pilots to take in all the beauty of nature high and low. And with a fuel efficiency that won’t leave you in the latter, you won’t have to worry about being left stranded (or awkwardly asking to go halfsies on gas expenses).


    Image credit: miniusa.com

  • Recent Slide Shows

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on Facebook
  • Thumbnails
  • Fullscreen
  • 1 of 9

Related Videos

Comments

 22 Comments

Comment Preview

Your name will appear as username ( settings | log out )

You may use these HTML tags and attributes: <a href=""> <b> <em> <strong> <i> <blockquote>

follow salon

Most Read

Popular on Reddit

links from salon.com

From Around the Web

Presented by Scribol
listener_new_rect The Listener: "The Joker": Laughing at life's deepest sorrows