The whole point of a free press is to have reporters and editors who are willing to challenge those who hold political and economic power, to push them to serve the public interest, and to defend liberty and equality against the overwhelming thrust of the special interests. If these missions are pursued with the energy and boldness that is required to sustain democracy and civil society, mistakes will be made.
Wherever honest journalists do not make honest errors, you can bet that caution is ruling the day — and that power is prevailing. But errors on the Web, on television and radio, and in print are serious matters. They have to be corrected, and they usually are.
Unfortunately, there are instances where the error so overshadows the correction that a false impression lingers.
Such has been the case with the investigation by the not-for-profit Center for Investigative Journalism and the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel of the travel records of state officials.