Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

News website confuses Obama satire with reality

 

Friday 28 September 2012 20:49 EDT
Comments

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

A joke by the American satirical newspaper The Onion appears to have got lost in translation.

An Iranian news agency picked up – as fact – a story from the paper about a supposed survey showing an overwhelming majority of rural white Americans would rather vote for the Iranian President, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, than the US President Barack Obama. But it was made up, like everything in the satirical newspaper.

The English-language service of Iran's semi-official Fars news agency re-published the story yesterday.

The Onion's editor, Will Tracy, put out a tongue-in-cheek statement saying: "The Onion ... commends the journalists at Iran's finest news source on their superb reportage."

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in