Fox News has misled its audience by 'altering' AP and Reuters articles on transgender care: report

23 June 2023

The Associated Press (AP) and Reuters both use the term "gender-affirming care" when reporting on transgender matters. But Fox News, according to Media Matters, has been replacing that term with "sex change" or "sex reassignment" when using the wire services' material — and is misleading viewers in the process.

Media Matters' Mia Gingerich, in an article published on June 23, explains why replacing the term "gender-affirming care" with other terms in AP or Reuters articles is problematic.

Gingerich slams Fox News' "demonization of trans people and the medical professionals who provide medically necessary care" as "abhorrent." And she emphasizes that AP and Reuters "confirmed that altering their content to change the meaning or accuracy of the reporting violates their rules."

An AP spokesperson told Media Matters, "Customers have the ability to adjust AP headlines and stories as long as the changes do not impact the accuracy or facts of the AP journalism…. Quotes are not to be altered, in keeping with AP standards."

A Reuters spokesperson, meanwhile, told Media Matters, "The editorial meaning of Reuters content cannot be altered or distorted by our clients. Reuters is fully committed to covering all matters, including LGBTQIA+ issues, impartially and accurately, in keeping with the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles."

Gingerich explains, "FoxNews.com has frequently replaced accurate terminology in the headlines of AP articles, changing terms like 'gender-affirming care' to read 'sex change,' or changing a headline describing a bill restricting 'trans youth care' to instead frame it as a 'youth sex change' ban. However, starting with an AP article it reposted on April 27, Fox News seemingly began altering the text in the body of the wire services' articles as well, replacing 'gender-affirming' with either the terms 'sex change' or 'sex reassignment.'"

The Media Matters reporter adds, "In total, over the last two months, Fox News has altered at least 18 articles from the AP and one from Reuters on anti-trans legislation that are credited exclusively to the respective outlets. No notes or citations are made clarifying any changes to the text credited to the AP or Reuters."

Read Media Matters' full report at this link.

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