Journalists bungled coverage of the Attica uprising. 50 years later, the consequences remain.

With 50 years of hindsight, the following outlets reflected on the misdeeds: Since the riot, writes New York Times spokeswoman Danielle Rhoades Ha, “we have implemented new processes and guidelines for vetting statements from law enforcement.” The Post acknowledged that the media’s coverage “had not met the journalistic standards of the time,” noted Krissah Thompson, managing editor of diversity and inclusion. “I think if Attica happened today, the news media would have insisted on interviewing the prisoners and talked to criminal justice advocates alongside the accounts of state and federal officials.” The AP said that it strove to correct the record “when the facts began to emerge,” notes spokeswoman Lauren Easton. “Unfortunately public officials can intentionally or unintentionally mislead the news media.” And Maribel Perez Wadsworth, publisher of USA Today at Gannett, says, “We can’t allow ourselves to get caught up in the initial moment without stepping back and asking the next round of questions.”