For those not sufficiently depressed by Ralph's post below, the blog Regret the Error has just published its most outrageous newspaper/TV corrections of the year.

Suggesting that some journalists might have guest-spots lined up on The View, the corrections include:

--"An article in some copies Monday erroneously included President Vladimir Putin among major Russian figures who died recently." (International Herald Tribune)

--"A Nov. 19 article about a new study indicating that Detroit is the most dangerous U.S. city incorrectly stated that Detroit has seen nearly one million people killed since 1950. In fact, that number represents the overall decline in Detroit’s population since 1950, not the number of people killed." (Toronto Star)

--"In an article on drug smuggling in Venezuela that began on Page 1A Monday, an incorrect photograph was used on Page 2A for jailed drug trafficking suspect Feris Farid Domínguez. The error occurred in the newsroom production process. The photo that was used was that of Leonel Fernández, president of the Dominican Republic." (Miami Herald)

--"A caption on Saturday with a picture showing a Pakistani man on his bicycle carrying a painting of his son, who he says was abducted by Pakistani intelligence agents in 2001, misspelled the name of the Pakistani capital. It is Islamabad, not Islambad." (New York Times)

And, on an academic matters, this item from the Manchester Union Leader:"Due to a reporting error, a story on Page A2 in Saturday’s edition of the New Hampshire Union Leader misquoted University of New Hampshire employee Bernardine Schultz. She said Professor John Collins was prone to giving students 'easy A’s,' not that he had 'lazy aides.'"

Jonathan Dresner - 12/14/2007

Don't miss the separate Plagiarism/Fabrication round-up.