ABSTRACT
The truth, though, is that all journalists make mistakes and reporters will too. The very nature of daily journalism precludes an accuracy rate of 100 percent. Maurice Possley says the culture of many news organizations discourages reporters from admitting mistakes. Mistakes should be embarrassing to journalists and their organizations. But shame or embarrassment over a mistake is much less traumatic than the dishonor that comes when mistakes go uncorrected or are covered up. The code of ethics for the nonprofit online news organization Propublica says that mistakes must be corrected fully, quickly and ungrudgingly. Mistakes on Web pages should be corrected as soon as possible. A journalist who hides or ignores his mistakes may be able to hold onto his job for a time. The best journalists learn from their mistakes and the mistakes of others, and they do everything they can to make sure their stories are right.
