Explain the meaning of "fabricated" in reporting.

• A. Deliberately invented or false information presented as fact.
• B. An error in transcription.
• C. A routine correction.
• D. A rumor with no sources.

Answer: (A)

In reporting, fabricating means information that is deliberately invented and presented as fact. It shows an intent to mislead readers by making up quotes, events, or documents and passing them off as truth. This is different from an error in transcription, which is a genuine mistake in copying or typing something. It’s also different from a routine correction, which is simply standard editorial work to fix mistakes. And it isn’t the same as a rumor with no sources, which is unverified information that might be true or false but isn’t knowingly created as fact by the reporter. Fabrication is about making up information on purpose, which is a serious breach of journalistic ethics.