Just like this. MSM pick up some sensational and totally inaccurate claim about anything porn-related, run with it, never bothering to verfiy its accuracy, and it becomes gospel truth to porn-haters everywhere, including those who are otherwise contemptuous of MSM coverage of porn-related issues.
When the operation that reported the false information eventually issues a retraction, it sinks without a bubble while the sensational crap lives on.
Case in point:
AP Corrects Story About Vivid's Health Safety Record
LOS ANGELES—Vivid Entertainment co-chairman Steven Hirsch said today that he was relieved that the Associated Press had distributed a correction to an erroneous story that falsely reported on the leading adult studio's health safety record.
"The Associated Press is one of the most highly regarded news gathering organizations in the world, but on August 20 the news agency failed to check its facts for a story with the headline 'Porn Makers Challenged for not Mandating Condoms' by Shaya Tayefe Mohajer," Hirsch said. "Her story incorrectly stated that five performers in Vivid films tested positive for HIV in 2004. This erroneous statement was damaging to our company and demonstrates that you can never be too careful in sex and in journalism.
"The truth is that throughout 2004 Vivid had a mandatory condom policy and every performer was, and is today, tested before he or she acts in one of our productions. None of our performers had or has HIV. We are pleased that AP sent out a correction on Saturday, August 22 and only wish they had done so immediately after we called the error to their attention rather than waiting more than 24 hours."
Hirsch pointed out that since 2004 performers have acted in several hundred thousand-sex scenes shot by adult studios in the San Fernando Valley and there has only been one reported case of HIV.
"It is far more dangerous for a person to have sex with someone they meet casually in a bar than it is for people who act in a carefully policed adult film setting. We are confident that we are taking all precautions and the results to date demonstrate that this is the case," he said.
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What do you want to bet that for months, even years, ahead we'll be reading about those five Vivid performers who got HIV on every anti-porn blog on earth?
What's that old saying about how a lie travels half way around the world before truth can get its boots on?
A sanctuary for supporters of sexual free expression and the adult sexual media.
Vivid should have filed a libel suit against the Associated Press, and the writer immediately. The adult industry needs to grow some balls here right away!
ReplyDeleteWell...there's a reason why we like to call that particular media organization the "AssPress"....they seem to have a bit of a problem with the tactic of researching before they write.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure that you can get them on libel, though, since they did go ahead and make the correction within 24 hours.
It wouldn't hurt my heart much if someone did, though.
Anthony
No luck there. AP has a good-faith defense. It was a human error, corrected when called out.
ReplyDeleteAP did not demonstrate reckless disregard for truth or falsity or deliberate malice and it would be difficult to prove that actual harm would have been done to the potential plaintiff.
The harm, of course, is that the falsity will be circulated as truth by those whose anti-porn agenda is notoriously unconcerned with facts on the ground, but that's not AP's fault.
The damage is done and irreversible, which is the problem with this kind of "accidental misrepresentation." There will always be those who believe everything they read, especially if it comes from those with whom they already agree, and that dynamic is beyond the control of any journalistic organization, even one whose intentions are benign.
If people choose to believe what is false over what is true, there isn't much that can be done to stop them.
However, I do agree with Lance that this industry overall needs to step up and quit apologizing for itself. We've got to get off our back foot and start advancing to meet the oncoming foe.
I've been saying this loud and clear for some time. I hope those with the resources to make themselves heard start answering back to these heinous and false charges and doing so soon, or they may find themselves with nothing left to talk about.
I'll say here and now that I'm getting a little tired of sticking up for people richer and and better positioned than I am to stick up for themselves.