Mediagazer: An acclaimed Apple critic made up the details (Rob Schmitz/Marketplace)

8:15 PM ET, March 16, 2012

Top News:

RETRACTION — Regrettably, we have discovered that one of our most popular episodes was partially fabricated. This week, we devote the entire hour to detailing the errors in “Mr. Daisey Goes to the Apple Factory,” Mike Daisey's story about visiting Foxconn, an Apple supplier factory in China.

This American Life:

Retracting “Mr. Daisey and the Apple Factory” — Ira writes: — I have difficult news. We've learned that Mike Daisey's story about Apple in China - which we broadcast in January - contained significant fabrications. We're retracting the story because we can't vouch for its truth.

Rob Schmitz / Marketplace:

An acclaimed Apple critic made up the details — Apple got a lot of attention recently over conditions in the Chinese factories that make its iPhones and iPads. The public radio show “This American Life” aired an electrifying account of one man's visit to several factories.

Discussion: LA Observed, The Huffington Post, New York Magazine, GigaOM, MacRumors, Show Tracker, Jack Shafer, The Daily Caller, Gizmodo, 9to5Mac, TPM IdeaLab and Hit & Run

Jay Yarow / Business Insider:

This American Life Retracts Its Damning Episode About Apple And Foxconn — This American Life has retracted its episode on Apple and Foxconn. The episode detailed life at Foxconn and painted a damaging picture of life for employees. It was led by a performer named Mike Daisey who went …

Discussion: @joshuatopolsky, The Verge, The Atlantic Wire, The Next Web, @davidfolkenflik, @davidfolkenflik and JIMROMENESKO.COM

Jeff Bercovici / Mixed Media:

How ‘This American Life’ Let Itself Get Burned By An Apple Fabulist — You can't say nobody warned the producers of “This American Life” that Mike Daisey's epic story about Apple's Foxconn factory in China might be the work of an untrustworthy individual. Someone did, in fact …

Discussion: Forbes and thephoenix.com

Laura June / The Verge:

Excerpts from ‘This American Life’ on Mike Daisey: ‘Why not just tell us what really happened?’ — We've received an early transcript of the episode of This American Life which will air this evening at 8:00PM ET entitled “Retraction.” The episode features Mike Daisey …

Discussion: This American Life

Matthew Panzarino / The Next Web:
New York Times edits article by Mike Daisey it posted just after Steve Jobs' death due to fabrications

Discussion: The Verge and Daring Fireball

Steve Myers / Poynter:

New York Times could look outside journalism for next social media editor — How hard will it be for The New York Times to replace Liz Heron, who is leaving her job as social media editor to become director of social media and engagement for The Wall Street Journal?

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest, Capital New York and The New York Observer

Steve Myers / Poynter:
Heron: WSJ pay wall will be an ‘interesting challenge’ for social media efforts

Discussion: NetNewsCheck Latest

Adam Martin / The Atlantic Wire:

Mayor Bloomberg Proud of Bloomberg's Coverage of the Goldman Sachs Op-Ed — New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg is very disappointed in the way the media has handled the story of Goldman Sachs executive Greg Smith's very public (and very expensive) resignation, except for one outlet.

Discussion: Forbes, Globe and Mail and business.time.com

Edmund Lee / Bloomberg: Goldman Op-Ed Writer Got $150 for Unsolicited Critique

Andrew Beaujon / Poynter:

Scripps Howard Awards announced — Editorial writer Jamie Lucke of the Lexington Herald-Leader, Sara Ganim of The Patriot-News, and Danny Hakim and Russell Buettner of The New York Times are among the winners of this year's Scripps Howard Awards, which were announced this morning.

Discussion: The E.W. Scripps Company, The Rural Blog, The Wrap, Columbia University … and JIMROMENESKO.COM

Guardian:

@fieldproducer quits Sky News | Media Monkey — The social media wunderkind Neal Mann, better known as @fieldproducer, has walked out on Sky News just weeks after bosses told journalists to curb their Twittering. Monkey hears that the new top-down guidelines - which have been widely lampooned …

Discussion: @fieldproducer, Daily Dot and @dansabbagh

Lucas Shaw / The Wrap:

CNN Takes Social Media Crown in Cable ... But Where Are the Ratings? — CNN accounted for almost 13 percent of all social media mentions in February, making it the most social network of all cable for the month, according to social media analytics firm Trendrr.

Discussion: Forbes, Erik Wemple and Inside Cable News

Tim Carmody / Wired:

Wikipedia Didn't Kill Britannica. Windows Did — First edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. Photo: Courtesy Encyclopedia Britannica, Inc. — I have never owned a print edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica. After the Britannica company's announcement that …

Discussion: O'Reilly Radar, Slate, Fast Company, @penenberg, InvestorPlace and The Week

Bill Carter / Media Decoder:

NBC News Stays on Top, While Its Newsmagazine Struggles — NBC News celebrated its status as the top news division in television with a presentation for advertisers Thursday in New York, led by Brian Williams, the anchor of its top-rated evening newscast. — But NBC News and Mr. Williams …

Discussion: Radio & Television …, TVNewser, Capital New York and Mediaite