And a reporter never forgets. Not only do we not forget, we make a point of ensuring that anybody within talking and walking distance doesn't forget, either. A reporter will tell every other reporter, editor, source and drinking buddy in walking distance that you can't be trusted with the truth. And reporters at this paper are encouraged to write at least an item about the misrepresentation. After all, you didn't just lie to us, you lied through us to our 107,000 or so readers.
Readers can take it from there.
Or slanted beyond recognition. It's true that plenty of reporters make plenty of mistakes, and it's true that a lot of those same reporters would rather chop off their right arm than admit it. But there is a difference between being too dumb, too lazy or too overworked to get the details of a story right, and simply opening your mouth and letting an unvarnished lie or two or three fall out. We aren't naive. We know there are business people with valid business reasons not to tell a reporter about their next business move.