Huffington Post Walks Back Claim Hannity 'Bounced From Cumulus': 'It Was Hannity's Decision'

August 17th, 2013 11:41 AM

As NewsBusters previously reported, the perilously liberal Huffington Post published an article Friday incorrectly claiming, "Sean Hannity is set to be bounced from Cumulus, the second-biggest radio network in the United States."

Eight hours after it was published, the headline and the text were radically changed to reflect that Hannity was the one doing the bouncing.

The original article - titled "Sean Hannity Reportedly Set to Be Dropped From Cumulus Network" - was fully-captured by Charles Johnson:

Sean Hannity is set to be bounced from Cumulus, the second-biggest radio network in the United States, according to multiple reports on Thursday night.

Hannity and Rush Limbaugh have been involved in tense negotiations with Cumulus, which has around 40 stations nationwide, over new syndication deals. The Limbaugh negotiations have been especially public and bitter. In July, reports surfaced that Cumulus was intending to drop both hosts. But, on Thursday, Mediaite wrote that Hannity is likely to go, while Politico wrote that Limbaugh is likely to stay in “virtually” every market he had been on.

Here's the new version titled "Sean Hannity Reportedly Splitting With Cumulus":

Sean Hannity is set to part ways with Cumulus, the second-biggest radio network in the United States, according to multiple reports on Thursday night. [...]

Talkers magazine reported that it was Hannity's decision to leave Cumulus, rather than the other way around.

A note at the bottom of the article reads, "Note: This post has been updated to include new information about Hannity's version of events."

Notice the editors chose not to inform readers of the original contents or how wrong they were.

Regardless, it's nice to see the Post at least report the truth even if it didn't have the courage to inform readers of just how wrong the original article was.

(HT NewsBusters reader Jack Sorock)

*****Update: Someone needs to tell the Post's front page editor the article has been corrected. Here's the headline at the Post at 12:24 PM Saturday (HT @PoliticalPAW):