Media Misreporting

Media misreporting refers to instances when news outlets inaccurately present information, whether due to errors, misinterpretation, biased reporting, or the dissemination of unverified claims. Such misreporting can have significant consequences, including misinforming the public, creating social or political tensions, and undermining trust in journalism. Media misreporting often occurs during fast-paced news cycles, where the pressure to report quickly can lead to errors in fact-checking and context verification.

Misreporting can be accidental, due to human error or misinterpretation, but can also be deliberate, driven by agendas, sensationalism, or political biases. It can take many forms, including misleading headlines crafted for clicks, incorrect attribution of quotes, lack of essential context, misuse of statistics, and the use of unrelated or manipulated images and videos. These inaccuracies have serious consequences, such as eroding public trust in journalism, fueling political polarization, and causing social harm. Misreporting on sensitive issues—such as elections, communal incidents, or health crises—can lead to panic, violence, or the spread of harmful stereotypes.

In June 2024, BOOM fact-checked a case of misreporting involving Omar Abdullah. News outlets had falsely attributed a statement to Abdullah that was originally part of an op-ed by journalist Praveen Swami, published in The Print.

BOOM's investigation clarified that the statement was misattributed, rectifying the misleading narrative and highlighting the importance of accurate attribution in news reporting.