Everybody gets something wrong every once in a while.
Even the Associated Press. But the international wire service is often considered the arbiter of truth and has a website that features “fact-checking, accountability journalism and misinformation coverage from AP journalists around the globe.”
The AP published a piece on Thursday about a new group led by prominent liberals buying up Spanish-speaking radio stations.
“The Latino Media Network, a startup founded by two political strategists who worked for President Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, reached a $60 million deal to acquire 18 AM and FM stations in ten U.S. cities from Televisa/Univision,” the AP reported. “The agreement announced June 3 still needs Federal Communications Commission approval.”
In the piece, the reporter claimed to interview one prominent Hispanic, Martha Flores, who served for years as a host of a show on Radio Mambi.
The only problem is Flores died in 2020.
In one correction, the AP wrote: “This story was first published on June 9, 2022. It was updated on June 11, 2022 to remove comments erroneously attributed to Martha Flores, former host of a show on Radio Mambi in Miami, one of the stations in the proposed deal. Flores died in 2020. The comments were made by another woman. This version of the story removes those comments.”
On Twitter, the Associated Press wrote: “MIAMI (AP) — In a story published June 9, 2022, about the purchase of Spanish-language radio stations, The Associated Press erroneously identified a woman as Martha Flores, former host of a show on Radio Mambi in Miami, one of the stations in the proposed deal. Flores died in 2020. The woman’s identity was unclear but she attended an event expressing concern with the sale held by a coalition called the Assembly of the Cuban Resistance.”
Twitter had a field day with the correction.
“I’m so confused by this article. The AP says it interviewed Miami Radio host Martha Flores on Wednesday, but she’s been dead for two years. How the hell did they pull this off? Séance? An ouija board? Did they hire a babalawo to talk to her?” one Twitterer wrote.
I'm so confused by this article.
The AP says it interviewed Miami Radio host Martha Flores on Wednesday, but she's been dead for two years.
How the hell did they pull this off? Séance? An ouija board? Did they hire a babalawo to talk to her? pic.twitter.com/YCVwlJgG7O
— Giancarlo Sopo (@GiancarloSopo) June 11, 2022
“Typical example of the journalistic standards of the AP. Claiming that they interviewed someone who is not even alive… and they want you to believe their ‘fact checks,'” wrote Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis.
Typical example of the journalistic standards of the AP. Claiming that they interviewed someone who is not even alive… and they want you to believe their “fact checks” https://t.co/cqkAWVaLaq
— Christina Pushaw 🐊 🇺🇸 (@ChristinaPushaw) June 11, 2022
Joseph Curl has covered politics for 35 years, including 12 years as White House correspondent for a national newspaper. He was also the a.m. editor of the Drudge Report for four years. Send tips to [email protected] and follow him on Twitter @josephcurl.