Reuters avoids long-standing error; its correction worse than before

Reuters, September 8 2000:

"The declaration endorsed ...halving by the year 2015 the 22 percent of the world's

population now existing on less than a dollar a day."

http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/RTV/2000/09/08/009080017/?s=millennium

%20summit

Reuters, May 28 2015:

The target, one of eight international development goals set by the United Nations in

2000, was to halve the proportion of hungry people around the world by 2015 from 1990

levels."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/28/food-un-asiapac-idUSL3N0YJ2DA20150528

Matt Berkley [second request]

July 1, 2015, 8:33 PM

I am afraid you have a systemic problem.

In this particular case, the "corrected" version is more misleading.

I was not informed of the amendment of 9 June.

I only became aware of it today, 1 July.

"Tue Jun 9, 2015 1:14am EDT

CORRECTED...

(Corrects that Millennium Development Goals are agreed upon by world leaders, ...)"...

"...one of eight international development goals agreed upon by world leaders in 2000, was to halve the proportion of hungry people around the world by 2015 from 1990 levels."

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/06/09/food-un-asiapac-idUSL3N0YJ2DA20150609

As I informed Reuters on 7 June,

"There is no 1990 baseline...in the leaders' Declaration.

http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm" .

"We, Heads of State and Government...resolve...by the year 2015...dollar a day...hunger...water… ....

...to have reduced maternal mortality by three quarters, and under-five child mortality by two thirds, of their current rates"

http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm

"The declaration endorsed ...halving by the year 2015 the 22 percent of the world's population now existing on less than a dollar a day."

Reuters TV, 8 September 2000

http://www.itnsource.com/en/shotlist/RTV/2000/09/08/009080017/?s=millennium%20summit

….

Original request:

Jun 7, 2:43 PM

http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/05/28/food-un-asiapac-idUSL3N0YJ2DA20150528

"The target, one of eight international development goals set by the United Nations in 2000, was to halve the proportion of hungry people around the world by 2015 from 1990 levels."

The eight MDGs were not set by the UN in 2000. They were proposed by Kofi Annan in 2001. Any claim that they were "set by the United Nations" would seem to need evidence from a specific UN resolution.

The only resolution of 2001 referring to Mr Annan's proposals welcomes his report as a "useful guide" for implementing the Millennium Declaration. The 2005 resolution at the leaders' World Summit reaffirmed the Declaration.

A significant number of readers would have had some idea that leaders made pledges at the Millennium Summit.

It is not clear what other event in 2000 readers might think Reuters is referring to.

There is no 1990 baseline - which would be generally easier than the pledge - in the leaders' Declaration.

http://www.un.org/millennium/declaration/ares552e.htm

I propose that Reuters correct not just any relevant stories but the impression given to the public through misleading references in its output.

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