This simple three word phrase is almost impossible to say because it changes everything. It is easiest for a child to say it. After all a child isn't expected to right about things. But the higher you climb through life the more difficult it comes to admit being wrong. It would be devastating for a President of the United States to say, "I was wrong." And, it may be about as difficult for an established, respected scientist who does research at an institution funded by millions of tax dollars. That is why I don't expect any of the scientists caught by the Climategate leak, to admit "I was wrong" anytime soon.
Consider the case of Roger Revelle, the Grandfather of Global Warming. He didn't say "I was wrong" through all the years he was heading up the Scripps Oceanographic Institute or the Harvard Population Studies program. He waited until he was in a retirement job back as UCSD, a mere professor without any research or grant monies coming in, to admit he was wrong about CO2 being an important greenhouse gas. But to his credit, he did say it in his final years. I respect that he did clear the air before leaving the scene. I regret that Al Gore and IPCC and the media were no longer listening to him.
The media rarely has said, "We were wrong." I have worked in newsrooms for 56 years. I have never heard it. In fact, I cannot recall that I have ever heard "We were wrong." I have on several occasions heard, "We were miss-informed", "We were misled" and even "We were duped", On several occasions I have heard "We must correct this item". but even on these rare occasions there is great reluctance. It would take a monumental event to force the media to say "We were wrong."