This archive report was first published on 22 June 2020.
Published on June 22, 2020, The Tennessean newspaper in Tennessee faced backlash for publishing an advertisement containing false claims about Muslims.
The ad, which was placed by the Ministry of Future for America, sparked widespread criticism, with the Council on American-Islamic Relations calling it 'unfortunate' and 'symptomatic of the overall rise of Islamophobia, racism and white supremacy.'
Jeff Pippenger, who identified himself as the speaker of the Ministry of Future for America, defended the ad, stating that he stood by its content and that the criticism was aimed at the newspaper's editorial staff.
However, Ibrahim Hooper, communications director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, emphasized that a minority of people could believe the false claims about Muslims, and called for the newspaper to institute 'real policy changes' to prevent similar incidents in the future.
The Tennessean's vice president of sales, Ryan Kedzierski, apologized for the ad's publication, stating that the newspaper was reviewing internally why and how it occurred and would take immediate action to correct it.
According to Kathleen Bartzen Culver, chair of journalism ethics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, newspaper publishers have an obligation to 'pursue truth' and avoid publishing falsehoods or inflammatory statements, particularly in advertising.
