KTTZ has issued a retraction of a news story, “Texas Tech students feel unsupported as new policies affect studies, culture,” regarding student reactions to recent policies implemented by Texas Tech University, which was published digitally on March 19 and aired on the radio on March 20. The story has been removed from our website.
The story, as it was originally published, does not meet our editorial standards.
The story quotes speculation and suppositions from its sources, rather than sticking to verifiable facts and data points.
The story failed to properly attribute several pieces of information presented as fact. KTTZ spoke with Texas Tech professors on the record regarding their experiences and communications with students and administration, but the source of this information is not clearly printed in the article.
The article incorrectly conflates an executive order and a state law, referring to the action as compliance with a “federal law.”
KTTZ did not independently verify if student radio station KTXT has advised students not to discuss politics on air or if it is currently facing funding threats. KTTZ did not reach out to the station for comment.
KTTZ reached out to the Office of the Chancellor for comment and did not receive a response; this information was not included in the initial publication.
The story presents a confusing timeline, without a clear distinction between various actions and policies, or between those who implemented them.
We apologize to our audience for these mistakes and any confusion they may have caused. We take this oversight in our editorial procedure very seriously, and it has led to substantial reflection on the part of our leadership as to how to ensure that this does not happen again.
Journalists are human, and fallible, but it is imperative that we uphold professional standards and not violate or take advantage of the trust of our listeners and readers.
Accountability is extremely important to us, and that includes in our own actions. We will continue to cover issues of importance to this community, including Texas Tech University policies and their impacts. While our editorial procedure will be improved, our mission remains dedicated to providing objective, contextual coverage to our audience.
Brad Burt
Reporter
Texas Tech Public Media