Who's lying? The battle over 'fake news' CNN retracted a story about a Russian investment fund and accepted the resignations of three journalists — including a Pulitzer Prize winner. They relied on a single source which CNN calls a "massive break in protocol." Once again, the President attacked the media in a tweet. Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders told reporters, "We have gone to a place where if the media can't be trusted to report the news that's a dangerous place for America and I think if that's where certain outlets are going particularly to spike ratings and if that's coming from the top that's more scary and I think that's more disgraceful." Erik Wemple, media columnist for the Washington Post , offers an assessment.

Fox faces racial discrimination allegations Fox is facing a fresh round of legal troubles. This time, a group of former and current Fox News employees is charging racial discrimination. Will this torpedo 21st Century Fox’s bid to buy Britain’s Sky TV?

Columbia University on What Went Wrong with Rolling Stone Rape Story Before it was retracted by Rolling Stone magazine, the story " A Rape on Campus " generated 2.7 million page views — more than any story it's ever run that wasn't about a celebrity. Reporter Sabrina Rubin Erdely, described a nightmarish, multiple attack on a freshman called "Jackie" during a fraternity party at the University of Virginia. Rolling Stone retracted the story after police found no evidence that any such party occurred, although they said something terrible might have happened to "Jackie." Editors are now responding to a scathing assessment by the Columbia Journalism Review , which reported last night on the failure to corroborate details she — and only she — had provided. Erik Wemple is media columnist for the Washington Post , which first reported inconsistencies in the Rolling Stone story.

Sexual Assault, Journalism and the Law Late last month, Rolling Stone magazine published a 9000-word story alleging a gang rape at the University of Virginia's Phi Kappa Psi house. Campus administrators suspended fraternities and began an investigation.  Then the Washington Post began asking questions — discovering that three crucial witnesses had never been interviewed by Rolling Stone and that the alleged victim herself has told different stories. Rolling Stone magazine first blamed the victim when it learned of the errors. Now it's confessed to bad reporting and worse editing. The incident dramatizes the challenge of getting the story right when it comes to sexual assault on campus.  Some say college officials are failing to deal with an epidemic of violence against women.  Others say they're trampling on the rights of accused men.  Should criminal charges be turned over to the police and government prosecutors?

The Mystery of the Missing Malaysian Plane Early today, CNN reported that two objects picked up by satellite in the sea off Australia might be debris from Malaysian Airlines flight 370. For 13 days, there's been no solid information about what really happened to Flight 370, which is still missing.  But daily news coverage continues—on TV, radio and in major newspapers. CNN has hardly covered anything else — and audiences have responded by tuning in. CNN's Anderson Cooper beat Bill O'Reilly on Fox News, a rare event in the cable news world.

National Security, Government 'Spin' and the First Amendment Last Friday, the Associated Press learned that the Justice Department had obtained records for more than 20 separate telephone lines" for reporters' office phones, home phones and cell phones. Despite regulations that require negotiations to protect First Amendment rights, the records were seized in secret. Politicians of both parties have jumped to defend the free press, and President Obama has renewed talk of a reporters’ shield law . Attorney General Eric Holder justified the seizure because "it put the American people at risk and that is not hyperbole." Was it really a case of national security or "spin" to control a story about the CIA infiltrating al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula? Did the Obama administration intrude on a free press? Will the news media be able to protect the next "Deep Throat" in the digital age?