No one is perfect and everyone makes mistakes every once in a while.
This fact has been proven recently by those at the Associated Press. However, in this case, the group making the mistake is considered to be the arbiter of truth and even has a website that highlights “fact-checking, accountability journalism and misinformation coverage from AP journalists around the globe.”
The AP put out an article this past Thursday concerning a new group that is being headed up by prominent liberals that are purchasing as many Spanish-speaking radio stations as they can.
“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,” read a report from the AP. “The agreement announced June 3 still needs Federal Communications Commission approval.”
In said article, the reporter made the claim to have interviewed a quite prominent Hispanic, Martha Flores, who worked for many years as a host of a show on Radio Mambi.
The only issue with this statement is that Flores died way back in 2020.
In a recent correction, the AP stated: “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.”
Via Twitter, the Associated Press claimed: “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.”
This correction sparked quite an intense response from Twitter.
“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?” joked one Twitter user.
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,'” stated A spokeswoman for Governer Ron DeSantis of Florida, Christina Pushaw.
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