Getting It Wrong : Ten of the Greatest Misreported Stories in American Journalism

Did the __Washington Post__ bring down Richard Nixon by reporting on the Watergate scandal? Did a cryptic remark by Walter Cronkite effectively end the Vietnam War? Did William Randolph Hearst vow to "furnish the war" in the 1898 conflict with Spain? In __Getting It Wrong__, W. Joseph Campbell addresses and dismantles these and other prominent media-driven myths--stories about or by the news media that are widely believed but which, on close examination, prove apocryphal. In a fascinating exploration of these and other cases--including the supposedly outstanding coverage of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina--Campbell describes how myths like these can feed stereotypes, deflect blame from policymakers, and overstate the power and influence of the news media.

if Daily Journalism Constitutes History's First Rough Draft, Then getting It Wrong Certainly Reveals How Rough That Draft Can Be. Joseph Campbell Is A Dogged And First-rate Scholar.—neil Henry, Dean, University Of California, Berkeley Graduate School Of Journalism

dr. Campbell Has Done Meticulous Research That Examines Ten Media Myths In Context. This Book Rightfully Calls Us To Rethink Some Significant Errors That Have Become A Part Of Our History And Our Collective Memories. It Is Just Downright Interesting Reading.—wallace B. Eberhard, Recipient Of The American Journalism Historians Association Kobre Award For Lifetime Achievement

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when We Think About Watergate, Most Of Us Believe That The Investigative Reporting Of Two Journalists, Woodward And Bernstein, Forced The Resignation Of President Nixon. Not So Fast, Argues Campbell (sch. Of Communication, American Univ.; Yellow Journalism). He Claims Exposing The Scandal Was Not That Simple And Required Multiple Lines Of Investigation Carried Out By Many. He Analyzes The Appeal Of The Heroic-journalist Myth And Documents How We Have Come To Believe That The Dogged Efforts Of Two Reporters Saved The Country. Watergate Is Just One Of Ten Stories That He Reexamines To Demonstrate How Myths Of Journalism Distort Our Understanding Of The Power Of The Press. Writing Chronologically, He Begins By Refuting The Often Repeated Claim That Hearst And His Newspapers Incited The Spanish-american War And Finishes With A Critical Review Of The Media Coverage Of Hurricane Katrina. Each Chapter Examines One Of Journalism's Best-known Stories And Seeks To Correct The Record. Verdict This Well-written And Well-researched Book Will Be Of Interest To Historians, Journalism Scholars, And Sociologists. Readers Concerned About Media Influence Should Be Relieved, While Journalists Could Be Discouraged To Learn How Little Their Efforts Matter.—judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. Lib.

Did the Washington Post bring down Richard Nixon by reporting on the Watergate scandal? Did a cryptic remark by Walter Cronkite effectively end the Vietnam War? Did William Randolph Hearst vow to "finish the war" in the 1898 conflict with Spain? In Getting It Wrong, W. Joseph Campbell addresses and dismantles such prominent media-driven myths--stories about or by the news media that are widely believed but which, on close examination, prove apocryphal. In a fascinating exploration of these and other cases--including the supposedly outstanding coverage of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina--Campbell describes how myths like these can feed stereotypes, deflect blame from policymakers, and overstate the power and influence of the news media. --Publisher's description Did the Washington Post bring down Richard Nixon by reporting on the Watergate scandal? Did a cryptic remark by Walter Cronkite effectively end the Vietnam War? Did William Randolph Hearst vow to “furnish the war” in the 1898 conflict with Spain? In Getting It Wrong , W. Joseph Campbell addresses and dismantles these and other prominent media-driven myths—stories about or by the news media that are widely believed but which, on close examination, prove apocryphal. In a fascinating exploration of these and other cases—including the supposedly outstanding coverage of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina—Campbell describes how myths like these can feed stereotypes, deflect blame from policymakers, and overstate the power and influence of the news media. "I'll furnish the war": the making of a media myth Fright beyond measure? the myth of the war of the worlds Murrow vs. McCarthy: timing makes the myth The Bay of Pigs/New York Times suppression myth Debunking the "Cronkite moment" The nuanced myth: bra burning at Atlantic City It's all about the media: Watergate's heroic-journalist myth The "fantasy panic": the news media and the crack-baby myth "She was fighting to the death": mythmaking in Iraq Hurricane Katrina and the myth of superlative reporting Conclusion.