Rolling Stone "thoroughly discredited" - KOBI-TV NBC5 / KOTI-TV NBC2

(NBC News) A gang rape allegation reported in a Rolling Stone magazine expose is being called a case of journalistic failure.

Rolling Stone published the article describing a 2012 gang rape of a student named “Jackie” at a University of Virginia fraternity party.

After serious doubts about the story emerged, Rolling Stone asked Columbia University School of Journalism to find out what went wrong.

It found a “story of journalistic failure that was avoidable” according to the report’s authors.

“It was the collective fault of the reporter, the editor, the editor supervisor, and the fact checking department,” says Columbia Dean of Journalism Steve Coll

They found the reporter, Sabrina Rubin Erdely, had a bias for “Jackie’s” story and lack of transparency in verifying it. Police never substantiated there was a rape.

Discredited, Rolling Stone retracted the story. The final report states “the magazine’s failure may have spread the idea that many women invent rape allegations.”