Newsweek retracted its story about the desecration of Islam’s holy book at a military prison camp, but Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says a retraction isn’t enough. Grassley says the magazine is another example of journalists with too much power who weren’t careful about what they told the public, with global ramifications. Grassley wants a thorough review of Newsweek, like at CBS last fall, “and that heads need to roll, like in government, when I see things that are wrong, if heads don’t roll, you’re never going to get any change of behavior.” The article triggered deadly riots in Afghanistan. Grassley says the media plays a very valuable role in keeping government honest and responsible, but the media also needs to be honest, ethical and accurate. He says the organizations that police our system of representative government and demand transparency in government need to be fully transparent themselves and “review their ethics, morals and leadership…so that these things don’t become a pattern.” The White House says the Newsweek article had “real consequences” and the magazine should try to set the record straight by explaining to the Muslim world how it got the story wrong.
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