[April 06, 2015] Rolling Stone Magazine’s publication of a false tale on an alleged rape at the University of Virginia was a scandal that reaffirms the fact that America’s media has a bias for anything that fits their particular ideology. Leadership at the magazine failed and yet there is no accountability for their failure that did not allow the facts of the alleged rape get in the way of their biases.
Leaders should study this failure closely. Furthermore, they should also read the Columbia School of Journalism report on the magazine reporter’s failure. A close review of this report will confirm that not only did Rolling Stone Magazine fail at every level of leadership and fail to meet basic journalistic standards, but that the very report also shows a propensity to the same bias.
Notable in the report is this quote: “Like many other universities, UVA had a flawed record of managing sexual assault cases. Jackie’s experience seemed to confirm this larger pattern.” Critically missing from Columbia’s report is why the reporter and her bosses also failed to adhere to basic standards of journalism.
An analysis of any failure, mistake, or accident should answer the basic question of why it occurred. This obvious failure should tell us about bias that liberal ideology is an institutionalized part of American journalism and something that should make people sit up and take notice.
American’s media cannot be trusted to tell the truth or present the facts in an unbiased manner. The takeaway lesson for leaders is that they should work to eliminate their own biases else they will ultimately fail as did Rolling Stone Magazine.