The Guardian reported that a journalist at the New York Post said she was ordered to write an incorrect front page story about Vice President Kamala Harris. The reporter later resigned.
The story in question claimed that migrant children were being given welcome packs that contained copies of Harris’ children’s picture book, Superheroes are Everywhere. A follow-up article claimed thousands of copies had been distributed.
In turns out a single copy of the book had been donated by a member of the public as part of a call for presents to give to unaccompanied child migrants.
Despite this, the story was followed up by several rightwing outlets including Fox News.
Shop Talk is a weekly panel discussion about journalism issues. This week’s program featured Will Buss, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University and advises the student editors at the Western Courier, the students at student radio station The Dog, and the WIU chapter of the National Association of Black Journalists; Rajvee Subramanian, who teaches in the Department of Broadcasting and Journalism at Western Illinois University; and TSPR News Director Rich Egger.
