journalism 101...check your facts

A few others on the Blogosphere have caught this story and I thought I'd spread the word too.

I know one of the first things they teach you in Journalism schools is how important it is to check your facts. Fact checking is like...THE fundamental element to quality journalism and one would think that this is just common sense? Right? Journalists should strive to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.....right?

Well I know that's a load of baloney and unfortunately, The Sacramento Bee has made a great example of themselves. I say that's unfortunate because I have had, in the past, great sentiments for The Bee.

I'm disappointed that their reporter, Claudia Buck, didn't do her homework with her piece, "The Downturn: For many in military, finances are a battlefield"

Buck used everybody's favorite buzz word "predatory lending" to call out and blame payday loans for many of the financial problems that many members of the US military have been experiencing.

Well, Ms. Buck, you totally ignored the fact that, as of October 1, 2007, payday lenders do not lend to military personnel. I'd hate to assume that you deliberately ignored that fact when writing your piece so get your facts straight!

Read the story after the jump, above.