Getting It Wrong ─ Debunking the Greatest Myths in American Journalism

Did the Washington Post bring down Richard Nixon by reporting on the Watergate scandal? Did a cryptic remark by Walter Cronkite effectively end the Vietnam War? Did William Randolph Hearst vow to “furnish the war” in the 1898 conflict with Spain? In Getting It Wrong, W. Joseph Campbell addresses and dismantles these and other prominent media-driven myths—stories about or by the news media that are widely believed but which, on close examination, prove apocryphal. In a fascinating exploration of these and other cases—including the supposedly outstanding coverage of New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina—Campbell describes how myths like these can feed stereotypes, deflect blame from policymakers, and overstate the power and influence of the news media. This new and expanded Second Edition includes a new preface by the author, as well as three new chapters looking at the media-myths of the Nixon vs. Kennedy debates, the infamous “Napalm Girl” photo of the Vietnam War, and the War on Terror following 9/11.

W. Joseph Campbell is Professor in the School of Communication at American University. He is the author of five other books, including1995.