Fred Bayles

{{Short description|American journalist and professor}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2025}}

Fred Bayles is an American professor emeritus of journalism and former journalist.{{Cite news |last=Kassel |first=Matthew |date=February 12, 2020 |title=YouTube Invests in Progressive Outlet Young Turks to Promote Local News. But Why? |url=https://www.mediaite.com/online/youtube-invests-in-progressive-outlet-young-turks-to-promote-local-news-but-why/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=Mediaite}}{{Cite web |title=Fred Bayles |url=https://www.bu.edu/prsocial/profile/fred-bayles/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |website=Boston University}} After thirty years as a journalist, he joined the faculty at Boston University in 2004.{{Cite news |last=Rosenwald |first=Michael S. |date=April 11, 2025 |title=Joseph Boskin, Scholar of Humor and April Fools’ Prankster, Dies at 95 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/11/us/joseph-boskin-dead-april-fools.html |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=The New York Times}} He was a national correspondent for the Associated Press, where he worked for 20 years, before joining USA Today in 1997.{{Cite journal |last=Cunningham |first=Brent |last2=Baer |first2=John |date=November 2000 |title=The AP Now |url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=ufh&AN=3740635&lang=en-gb&site=eds-live&scope=site |journal=Columbia Journalism Review |volume=39 |issue=4 |pages=50–51 |via=EBSCOhost}} During his career as a reporter, he covered the Gulf War, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the murder trial of O. J. Simpson.{{Cite news |last=Mehaffey |first=Trish |date=January 10, 2023 |orig-date=January 8, 2023 |title=Technology provides new way for journalists to connect with audiences |url=https://www.thegazette.com/news/technology-provides-new-way-for-journalists-to-connect-with-audiences/ |access-date=2025-04-12 |work=The Gazette |location=Cedar Rapids, Iowa}} He is the author of Field Guide to Covering Local News: How to Report on Cops, Courts, Schools, Emergencies and Government.

While at the AP in 1983, Bayles unwittingly wrote a news hoax story about the Roman origins of April Fools' Day, after interviewing Joseph Boskin, a history professor at Boston University.{{Cite web |last=Posetti |first=Julie |last2=Matthews |first2=Alice |title=A short guide to the history of 'fake news' and disinformation |url=https://www.icfj.org/sites/default/files/2018-07/Short%20Guide%20to%20History%20of%20Fake%20News%20and%20Disinformation_ICFJ.pdf |access-date=2025-04-12 |publisher=International Center for Journalists}}