When news rooms used to say sorry
There was a time — not too long ago — when news anchors looked straight into the camera and said, “We apologise for the error in our report yesterday.” These were not scripted PR statements or hidden corrections tucked away in a corner of a website. These were public, live, often emotional acknowledgements of responsibility. In the 1990s, such editorial integrity was a vital element of newsrooms across the world, including India. That period now feels like a bygone era — replaced by a media ecosystem that rarely admits fault, even when falsehoods cause irreparable damage.
The media in the 1990s, despite lacking today’s digital sophistication, upheld a certain code of honour. Journalistic ethics were enforced not only by editors but by institutional norms, public scrutiny, and regulatory oversight. Whether it was CNN retracting a flawed report on Operation Tailwind (1998), or NDTV issuing a clarification on misreported political statements during the 1996 elections, newsrooms understood that trust was their currency — and apologies were the cost of preserving it.
Many of us still remember how Doordarshan, India’s state-run broadcaster, would issue live corrections during its evening news bulletins. The anchor, often in a composed and firm tone, would state: “Kal ke samachar mein humne jo jankari prastut ki thi, who galat thi. hum iske liye khed vyakt karte hain.” (“The information we presented in yesterday’s bulletin was incorrect. We regret the error.”) No deflection, no digital spin — just accountability.
In Western democracies, the culture was even more visible. When the BBC aired footage in 1995 that misrepresented war crimes in Bosnia, it quickly acknowledged the mistake and explained the context. In the United States, a CBS journalist would lose his job in 1998 over using forged documents related to President George W. Bush’s military service. The cost of credibility was high — as it should have been.
There were several reinforcing factors that kept media institutions grounded. Those included:
- Ethical commitment: Journalists often had backgrounds in political science, law, or history, and understood the democratic role of the press.
- Public trust: With fewer channels and no internet competition, reputation and viewer loyalty mattered.
- Regulatory oversight: Media councils, ombudsmen, and broadcasting authorities had real teeth.
- Professional shame: To be proven wrong publicly was deeply embarrassing — a badge no journalist wanted to wear.
Media was not infallible then, but it was at least self-correcting. Compare that with today’s hyper-accelerated media scene. Errors — and often deliberate lies — are not just common but viral. Whether it is the false reporting of a political leader’s death, doctored videos shared by major networks, or inflammatory communal content with no factual basis, misinformation now circulates with minimal accountability.
When caught, most modern news organizations follow a predictable pattern. Deny the mistake. Blame a “technical glitch.” Issue a half-hearted “correction” on social media 48 hours later — after the lie has reached millions.
There are few live apologies. Anchors no longer say “we were wrong.” Instead, the culture incentivizes boldness, speed, and controversy, not truth. As TRP wars heat up and algorithms prioritize outrage over accuracy, media houses are more focused on being first than being right.
Worse still, some journalists are rewarded, not punished, for bending facts. Entire TV shows are built on shouting matches, not reporting. Clickbait headlines, fake expert panels, and partisan storytelling are normalized. Ethical journalism — once a noble calling — now fights for survival.
In India, the problem is especially acute. Many national channels operate as selected echo chambers. Consider the example of a leading anchor who falsely reported that a Muslim cleric had incited violence. The claim was later debunked, but no on-air apology followed. The damage — communal polarization and online abuse — was done.
Such behavior would have been unthinkable in the 1990s, when newsrooms debated over ethics, verified sources, and often delayed publication to ensure accuracy.
This is not just an Indian issue. In the U.S., media polarization between CNN and Fox News has eroded public trust. In the UK, the phone-hacking scandal involving News of the World led to its shutdown, but even that did not permanently restore public confidence.
A 2023 Reuters Institute report found that global trust in news has dropped below 40%. Audiences increasingly turn to WhatsApp forwards and TikTok videos instead of traditional news — partly because legacy media no longer feels truthful or accountable.
The decline of media apologies is not a cosmetic issue. It is structural, and it affects democracies in many ways. Without corrections, lies become beliefs. People begin to trust no one, opening the door to conspiracy theories. A media that doesn’t admit fault becomes indistinguishable from propaganda.
When media institutions lose the humility to say “sorry,” they also lose the moral authority to question the government, corporations, or criminals.
It may seem idealistic, but a return to editorial responsibility is not impossible. It would require reinstating public editors and ombudsmen in newsrooms. Making on-camera corrections mandatory for factual errors. Creating legal penalties for willful disinformation. Training journalists in media ethics and verification. Encouraging citizens to demand accountability, not just consume content passively.
Media consumers must evolve from passive viewers to active participants — questioning sources, rewarding truth-tellers, and boycotting propagandists.
The simple phrase, “We regret the error,” once symbolized a contract between journalists and the public. It said: we are human, we make mistakes, but we are answerable. In losing that phrase, we may have lost something deeper — the soul of journalism. To restore it is not just the duty of newsrooms, but of every citizen who values truth over spectacle.
Dr. Ashraf Zainabi is a teacher and researcher based in Gowhar Pora Chadoora J&K
