MSNBC corrections

Clarification
A story briefly published May 1 on msnbc.com about author James Frey's interview with Vanity Fair magazine included some information that could have been unclear.

The Vanity Fair story reported that, Josh Kilmer-Purcell, a friend of Frey’s, told the magazine that Frey was sent a copy of The Smoking Gun’s 13,000-word report on the discrepencies in Frey’s memoir, “A Million Little Pieces,” in advance of its publication on the Smoking Gun's Web site. The Vanity Fair story says that Frey showed the report to Kilmer-Purcell. In an interview with msnbc.com, Kilmer-Purcell confirmed that he told Vanity Fair about the meeting between himself and Frey, and said the magazine's depiction of the incident was accurate.

Smoking Gun editor Bill Bastrone told msnbc.com no one from the site gave Frey a copy of its report in advance; he said he did have a brief conversation with Frey before the piece was published to apprise him of TSG’s findings.

Vanity Fair magazine stands by its story and said that its Frey piece was “rigorously fact-checked” before publication.

The msnbc.com story also discussed Frey’s new novel, “Bright Shiny Morning.” Gossip blogger Mario Lavandeira, who is known as Perez Hilton, told msnbc.com that he spoke with Frey about his book and was happy to be the inspiration for the novel’s gossip columnist character. An excerpt from the novel, available on Amazon.com, outlines a history for the character that is similar to that of Lavandeira’s real life.

An April 27 story on 'Nightly News' incorrectly included video of penguins. The report was on a teenager visiting the North Pole. There are no penguins on the North Pole.

In an April 23 story about the discovery of a 1937 postcard sent by Anne Frank, The Associated Press incorrectly spelled the first name of the recipient. Her name was Sanne Ledermann, according to the Anne Frank Museum.

An early version of an April 10 story incorrectly said that President Bush’s decision to cut the length of combat tours in Iraq applied to troops already in the country. The decision applies only to tours beginning Aug. 1 or later.

An early version of a story on emergency rooms at the breaking point reported an incident involving treatment of a patient at Providence Everett (Wash.) Medical Center and Children’s Hospital in Seattle. The patient’s case involved other programs at the hospitals, not their emergency departments.  The patient was seen at Providence Everett Medical Center's emergency room and then transferred to a the pediatric intensive care unit of Swedish Medical Center in Seattle.

An April 1 story about a study of heart attacks among AIDS patients erroneously reported the number who suffered heart attacks. There were 517 who had heart attacks, not 754. The story also said incorrectly that patients were tracked for up to five years. They were followed for as long as eight years.

A March 14 story about spring break incorrectly stated that Fort Lauderdale had 7.8 billion visitors in 2001. The correct figure was 7.8 million.

On Tuesday, Feb. 26, msnbc.com's live simulcast of the Democratic debate on MSNBC was hindered by technical difficulties. Many users experienced buffering and stuttering as they attempted to watch the debate. Msnbc.com has years of success at streaming high volumes of live video, and we apologize for letting some of you down on Tuesday.

Due to a wire service error, a file photo that appeared on the msnbc.com home page and a Feb. 10 story incorrectly identified an aide to Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Hillary Clinton as Patti Solis Doyle, who is resigning as Clinton’s campaign manager.

In a Jan. 29 story, a msnbc.com contributor erroneously reported that Miller Light's "Catfight" commercial was broadcast during the Super Bowl. The ad did not appear during a Super Bowl broadcast.

In a Jan. 23 story, the Associated Press reported erroneously that a rocket on display for two years at a veteran's museum was found to be live. The Maryland State Fire Marshal's office learned late Wednesday that the Mark 1 rocket was a dummy after it was examined by Army experts.

If you believe you have found an inaccuracy in an MSNBC.com story, please send us an e-mail to and we will investigate.

General comments about matters of interpretation or opinion can be sent to .

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