BGR does not responsibly handle news story “Apple design boss Jony Ive mysteriously vanishes from Apple’s online list of executives [updated]“. It’s rumor run amok, standing improperly corrected when shown to be inaccurate.
Later, Apple refutes the conjecture with simple explanation: website maintenance. But BGR keeps the link-bait “mysteriously” headline and “unexplained” lede, while placing an “update” at the story’s end. Many, if not most, people won’t read far enough to see Apple’s response. So the amended story spreads misinformation.
This is excellent example of the kind of egregious news reporting that prompted me to start working on forthcoming book Be a Better Blogger. BGR can claim responsible reporting because Apple’s response is included. But, I say, that’s not enough. Wire services update stories consistently, often publishing subsequent versions with more accurate information. That’s a good standard to adopt.