Editing Rolling Stone (section)

===Defamatory false rape story and lawsuit===
{{Main|A Rape on Campus}}

On November 19, 2014, the magazine ran the story "A Rape on Campus", about an alleged [[gang rape]] on the campus of the [[University of Virginia]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Erdely |first1=Sabrina |author-link=Sabrina Erdely |title=A Rape on Campus: A Brutal Assault and Struggle for Justice at UVA |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-20141119 |access-date=March 14, 2015 |date=November 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141120205928/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-20141119 |archive-date=November 20, 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> Separate inquiries by [[Phi Kappa Psi]], the fraternity accused by ''Rolling Stone'' of facilitating the alleged rape, and ''[[The Washington Post]]'' revealed major errors, omissions and discrepancies in the story.<ref name="WaPoWemple">{{cite news |last=Wemple |first=Erik |date=December 2, 2014 |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/12/02/rolling-stone-whiffs-in-reporting-on-alleged-rape/ |title=Rolling Stone whiffs in reporting on alleged rape |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=November 24, 2016 |archive-date=March 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150324051412/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2014/12/02/rolling-stone-whiffs-in-reporting-on-alleged-rape/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Shapiro |first=T. Rees |date=December 10, 2014 |title=U-Va. students challenge Rolling Stone account of alleged sexual assault |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/u-va-students-challenge-rolling-stone-account-of-attack/2014/12/10/ef345e42-7fcb-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=November 24, 2016 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161123201907/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/u-va-students-challenge-rolling-stone-account-of-attack/2014/12/10/ef345e42-7fcb-11e4-81fd-8c4814dfa9d7_story.html |archive-date=November 23, 2016 }}</ref> Reporter [[Sabrina Erdely]]'s story was subject to intense media criticism.<ref name="WaPoWemple"/><ref>{{cite news |last=Schow |first=Ashe |date=December 3, 2014 |title=If false, Rolling Stone story could set rape victims back decades |url=http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/if-false-rolling-stone-story-could-set-rape-victims-back-decades/article/2556895 |newspaper=[[The Washington Examiner]] |access-date=December 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141203191436/http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/if-false-rolling-stone-story-could-set-rape-victims-back-decades/article/2556895 |archive-date=December 3, 2014 }}</ref> ''The Washington Post'' and ''Boston Herald'' issued calls for magazine staff involved in the report to be fired.<ref>{{cite news |date=December 7, 2014 |title=Apparently, this Rolling Stone gathers no facts |last=Cohen |first=Adriana |url=http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/adriana_cohen/2014/12/adriana_cohen_apparently_this_rolling_stone_gathers_no |newspaper=[[Boston Herald]] |access-date=December 7, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141207105348/http://www.bostonherald.com/news_opinion/columnists/adriana_cohen/2014/12/adriana_cohen_apparently_this_rolling_stone_gathers_no |archive-date=December 7, 2014 }}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' subsequently issued three apologies for the story.

On December 5, 2014, ''Rolling Stone''{{'}}s managing editor, Will Dana, apologized for not [[fact-checking]] the story.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/a-note-to-our-readers-20141205 |title=A Note to Our Readers |magazine=Rolling Stone |date=December 5, 2014 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903121715/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/news/a-note-to-our-readers-20141205 |archive-date=September 3, 2015 }}</ref> The magazine commissioned an outside investigation of the story and its problems by the dean of the [[Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism|Columbia School of Journalism]]. The report uncovered journalistic failure in the UVA story and institutional problems with reporting at ''Rolling Stone''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/04/05/columbia-journalism-school-report-blasts-rolling-stone/ |title=Columbia Journalism School report blasts Rolling Stone |last=Wemple |first=Erik |date=April 5, 2015 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150407051152/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/erik-wemple/wp/2015/04/05/columbia-journalism-school-report-blasts-rolling-stone/ |archive-date=April 7, 2015 }}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' retracted the story on April 5, 2015.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-what-went-wrong-20150405?page=5|title=Page 5 of Rolling Stone and UVA: The Columbia School of Journalism Report|magazine=Rolling Stone|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150406090831/http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/a-rape-on-campus-what-went-wrong-20150405?page=5|archive-date=April 6, 2015}}</ref> The next day, following the investigation and retraction of the story, Phi Kappa Psi announced plans to pursue all available legal action against ''Rolling Stone'', including claims of [[defamation]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/04/07/sizing-up-phi-kappa-psis-potential-suit-against-rolling-stone/ |work=The Wall Street Journal |first=Jacob |last=Gershman |date=April 7, 2015 |title=Sizing Up Phi Kappa Psi's Potential Suit Against Rolling Stone |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170524215948/https://blogs.wsj.com/law/2015/04/07/sizing-up-phi-kappa-psis-potential-suit-against-rolling-stone/ |archive-date=May 24, 2017 }}</ref>

On May 12, 2015, UVA associate dean Nicole Eramo, chief administrator for handling sexual assault issues at the school, filed a $7.5 million defamation lawsuit in Charlottesville Circuit Court against ''Rolling Stone'' and Erdely, claiming damage to her reputation and emotional distress. Said the filing, "''Rolling Stone'' and Erdely's highly defamatory and false statements about Dean Eramo were not the result of an innocent mistake. They were the result of a wanton journalist who was more concerned with writing an article that fulfilled her preconceived narrative about the victimization of women on American college campuses, and a malicious publisher who was more concerned about selling magazines to boost the economic bottom line for its faltering magazine, than they were about discovering the truth or actual facts."<ref>Shapiro, T. Rees, "[https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/u-va-dean-sues-rolling-stone-for-false-portrayal-in-retracted-rape-story/2015/05/12/2128a84a-f862-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html U-Va. dean sues Rolling Stone for 'false' portrayal in retracted rape story] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150513080410/http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/u-va-dean-sues-rolling-stone-for-false-portrayal-in-retracted-rape-story/2015/05/12/2128a84a-f862-11e4-a13c-193b1241d51a_story.html |date=May 13, 2015 }}", ''[[Washington Post]]'', May 12, 2015</ref> On November 4, 2016, after 20 hours of deliberation,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/local/rolling-stone-defendants-liable-for-defamation/article_89a5c93e-a2b6-11e6-84b2-2f2e7789ea55.html|title=Jury says Rolling Stone article defamed UVa administrator|first=Lauren|last=Berg|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902102236/http://www.rollingstone.com/news/story/10224178/our_1000th_issue|archive-date=September 2, 2006}}</ref> a jury consisting of eight women and two men found ''Rolling Stone'', the magazine's publisher and Erdely liable for defaming Eramo, and awarded Eramo $3 million.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://money.cnn.com/2016/11/04/media/uva-rolling-stone-defamation-jury/index.html|title=Rolling Stone trial: Jury finds magazine liable for defamation for discredited rape story|first=Julia|last=Horowitz|date=November 4, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105032143/http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/04/media/uva-rolling-stone-defamation-jury/index.html|archive-date=November 5, 2016}}</ref>

On July 29, 2015, three graduates of the fraternity Phi Kappa Psi filed a lawsuit against ''Rolling Stone'', its publisher Wenner Media, and a journalist for defamation and infliction of emotional distress.<ref>{{cite news |title=Virginia college graduates sue Rolling Stone over rape story |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-sexcrimes-lawsuit-idUSKCN0Q32NS20150730 |newspaper=Reuters |date=July 29, 2015 |access-date=July 30, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802051204/http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/07/30/us-usa-sexcrimes-lawsuit-idUSKCN0Q32NS20150730 |archive-date=August 2, 2015 }}</ref> The same day, and just months after the controversy began, ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported that managing editor Will Dana was departing the magazine with his last date recorded as August 7, 2015.<ref>{{cite news |title=Will Dana, Rolling Stone's Managing Editor, to Depart |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/business/media/will-dana-rolling-stones-managing-editor-to-depart.html?_r=0 |newspaper=The New York Times |date=July 29, 2015 |access-date=August 17, 2015 |first=Ravi |last=Somaiya |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802043813/http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/30/business/media/will-dana-rolling-stones-managing-editor-to-depart.html?_r=0 |archive-date=August 2, 2015 }}</ref> On November 9, 2015, the Phi Kappa Psi Fraternity filed suit for $25&nbsp;million for damages to its reputation caused by the magazine's publication of the story, "with reckless disregard for the truth".<ref name="Shapiro">{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=T. Rees |title=U-Va. fraternity files $25&nbsp;million lawsuit against Rolling Stone |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/11/09/phi-psi-chapter-at-u-va-files-25-million-lawsuit-against-rolling-stone/ |access-date=November 9, 2015 |newspaper=[[Washington Post]] |date=November 9, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160601154120/https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/11/09/phi-psi-chapter-at-u-va-files-25-million-lawsuit-against-rolling-stone/ |archive-date=June 1, 2016 }}</ref><ref name="Simpson">{{cite news |last1=Simpson |first1=Ian |title=Virginia fraternity sues Rolling Stone over rape story |url=http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/09/virginia-fraternity-sues-rolling-stone-over-rape-story/21261516/ |access-date=November 9, 2015 |agency=Reuters |publisher=AOL |date=November 9, 2015 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20161007160210/http://www.aol.com/article/2015/11/09/virginia-fraternity-sues-rolling-stone-over-rape-story/21261516/ |archive-date=October 7, 2016 }}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' paid the fraternity $1.65 million to settle the suit out of court.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/rolling-stone-settles-last-remaining-lawsuit-uva-rape-story-1069880/| title = Rolling Stone Settles Last Remaining Lawsuit Over UVA Rape Story| website = [[The Hollywood Reporter]]| date = December 21, 2017| access-date = September 6, 2021| archive-date = September 6, 2021| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210906195637/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/business/business-news/rolling-stone-settles-last-remaining-lawsuit-uva-rape-story-1069880/| url-status = live}}</ref>