NPR issued a disclaimer to its breaking article regarding an officer-related shooting admitting that some “facts” the media reports may end up being “wrong.”
“This is a developing story,” a notice at the bottom of NPR’s post reads. “Some facts reported by the media may later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene, and we will update as the situation develops.”
NPR told the Caller that this “disclaimer language” is standard regarding “developing stories since June of 2016.”
“NPR has added disclaimer language to developing stories since June of 2016 during the mass shooting at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida,” NPR’s senior publicist Ben Fishel said in a statement. “We believe responsible news outlets should acknowledge that reports can change as stories develop and more facts become known. We are thinking of our audience: we want readers to know they’re getting the best information we have at the time and that it will continue to be updated as more facts are gathered. This note is even more important now when people are inundated with information from so many sources.”
Fishel included the company’s “disclaimer language” as well, noting that it is standard to write: “This is a developing story. Some facts reported by the media may later turn out to be wrong. We will focus on reports from police officials and other authorities, credible news outlets and reporters who are at the scene, and we will update as the situation develops.”
The company used the language in at least one article regarding the Orlando nightclub shooting in 2016. An article about the Colorado grocery store shooting in March 2021 also echoes the disclaimer.
The earliest archived version of NPR’s article regarding the shooting death of Ma’khia Bryant, a 16-year-old in Columbus, Ohio, only cited the family. The girl’s aunt alleged that officers were called “when a group of ‘older kids’ threatened her with assault,” NPR wrote.
Disclaimer from NPR on its article (which hasn’t yet been updated with new information regarding the body cam video) regarding the Ma’Khia Bryant shooting notes that “facts reported by the media may later turn out to be wrong”https://t.co/mXDPbTS26Y pic.twitter.com/41AKRrTfrI
— Shelby Talcott (@ShelbyTalcott) April 21, 2021
The article continued on to cite the family, who failed to note that Bryant had a knife and was attacking other individuals outside the home. The Columbus Police Department released the body camera footage of the incident Tuesday evening that showed Bryant swinging at a woman with a knife just before the officer shot.
NPR’s latest article, published early Wednesday morning, still has the notice but now includes more information from the police. NPR noted that “a knife can be seen close to her” after the shooting, though it doesn’t note that the video appears to show a knife in Bryant’s hands just prior. (RELATED: Here Are 31 Times The Media Pushed Narratives Downplaying Riots And Looting After George Floyd’s Death)
I see a knife. Do you see a knife? Are we all just imagining it? pic.twitter.com/Vl1ZWZbRYS
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) April 21, 2021
“Woods said the video shows Bryant holding a knife as she pushes two girls. He said police believe she is attempting to stab both girls during the fight,” according to NPR. “It’s unclear, based on the footage, at what point Bryant gets ahold of the knife.”
NPR also updated its headline regarding the story, though the headline didn’t include the new knife details. The archived version of the article is headlined as: “16-Year-Old Black Girl Who Called For Help, Fatally Shot By Police, Ohio Family Says.” The latest is titled: “Columbus Police Shoot And Kill Black, Teenage Girl.”
