How many stories like the pregnancy pact are urban myths? Is so-called journalism primarily a gossip mill?

Question

Time magazine spread the sensational story about the so-called pregnancy pact: http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1815845,00.html

With more than one person interviewed-the pact has become just another urban myth. In a recent NY Times interview, Dr. Brian Orr, former medical director of the health clinic at the high school, and Kim Daly, the former head nurse practitioner, said they had never heard of a pact. “It was complete news to me,” said Ms. Daly, who administered pregnancy tests in the clinic. “I have never heard of it, ever.”

Here's the full NY Times article: "Officials Reject Report of Pregnancy Pact": http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/24/us/24pregnant.html?ref=us

Another article about the "pact": "Girl denies principal's claim of pregnancy pact": http://www.thestar.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4471742

How many stories like the pregnancy pact are urban myths? Is so-called journalism primarily a gossip mill?

Answer 1

Journalism isn't a gossip mill.

Journalism feeds off of gossip.

It feeds off of a lot of things: speculation, anticipation, insight, lies, contributions, truth, sources, secrets, life.

All that is news.

There is a story in everything.