Drive-By Journalism

Newsbusters reports on a recent Newsweek article which painted the campaign in Afghanistan as an unmitigated disaster. The Department of Defense responded and refuted their claims in detail.

Did Newsweek publish a correction? A follow-up story allowing the DoD to present their side of the argument? Well, not exactly, Newsweek is now claiming that its story was only, in fact, analysis- and they will allow the DoD to respond with a "concisely written letter".

Newsbusters concludes, fairly I'd say-

So here we have a mainstay of the MSM that - when confronted with a serious challenge to its reporting on a matter of crucial national interest - attempts to downplay a major piece as mere "analysis." And rather than either replying seriously to the Pentagon's systematic refutation, or covering those arguments in its own pages, offers the Pentagon no more than the barest opportunity to respond.

Is this evidence of a news organization with a burning desire to get to the truth, or another lamentable example of drive-by journalism?

Marvellous, isn't it?