Newsweek's Non-Apology Is A Farce And Its Refusal To Retract The ‘Koran’ Story Is A Disgrace - Press Release - May 16, 2005

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 16, 2005

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Tim Scheiderer at (703) 683-5004, ext. 126

Newsweek’s Non-Apology Is a Farce And Its Refusal To Retract The ‘Koran’ Story Is a Disgrace

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Media Research Center President Brent Bozell issued the following statement reacting to Newsweek’s refusal to retract a false story that sparked riots—15 dead, 100 injured—in several Muslim countries.

“Newsweek is guilty of pushing a false story they knew was unconfirmed but wanted to believe was true, and this time the result was tragic. The Newsweek story is the same CBS/National Guard ‘gotcha’ journalism story all over again, only this time with riots and deaths as the deeply regrettable consequences.

“This is the painful legacy of news organizations whose anti-Bush agenda predisposes them to running negative stories they want to believe are true, even if they have no evidence of their veracity.

“Newsweek is making a terrible story even worse by refusing to retract it, and telling the New York Times: ‘We are not retracting anything.’ This is shades of Dan Rather and CBS continuing to tell the public their National Guard story was true until somebody disproved it.”

To schedule an interview with Brent Bozell or an MRC spokesperson,
please contact Tim Scheiderer at 703.683.5004 x. 126