THINK!: More credibility problems at NYT Company

Monday, 29 September 2008

More credibility problems at NYT Company

Credibility, trust, credibility, trust, the new anti/pro MSM meta theme.

Here's more.

Trouble at mill at Boston Globe, owned by New York Times. Globe reporter resigns.

What is truly remarkable are the soft words spoken by the Boston Globe spokesman - "Tania deLuzuriaga has resigned to pursue other opportunities," said Bob Powers.

A bit like JudyM and JasonB?

Good luck to them all with those other opportunities, from all of us here at (according to us) the most trusted newspaper company in the world. The blogosphere awaits you Tania.

2:57 PM Sep. 25, 2008
Reporter Resigns after E-mails with Schools Official Surface
By Steve Myers (More articles by this author) Poynter Online News Editor

A former Miami Herald education reporter implicated in a romantic relationship with a top Miami-Dade schools official has resigned from her post at The Boston Globe, according to a Globe spokesman.

"Tania deLuzuriaga has resigned to pursue other opportunities," said Bob Powers.

Boston Newspaper Guild President Daniel Totten said he couldn't comment on whether deLuzuriaga was still employed at the paper, "out of respect for Tania."

Personal e-mails purportedly between deLuzuriaga and Alberto Carvalho surfaced a couple weeks ago while Carvalho was being considered for a promotion from associate superintendent to the top job over the Miami-Dade school system. The messages, most of them apparently from deLuzuriaga and dated between July and September 2007, indicate a romantic relationship between the two and suggest that they work together to help each other.

DeLuzuriaga hasn't commented publicly on the matter. Carvalho has denied having an affair with the reporter but has said he had a "playful" relationship with her. The e-mails also discuss the two's professional roles. In a message apparently from deLuzuriaga contending that Carvalho is mean and condescending about her work, the author writes: "...you criticize me for being hurt, saying that we are having a 'professional' conversation, that you would treat anyone else in my position that way. I'm not anyone else, Alberto. I'm saying this to show you that there are areas where we've both transgressed, and we both need to be more cognisant [sic] and respectful of one another's work."

In another message, the person identified as deLuzuriaga apologizes for not considering how an article would affect Carvalho: "But you're right -- if it doesn't compromise us professionally, we ought to act in ways that help one another. ... and it is important for you in this political climate. That's not to say that I've ever done anything to purposely not hurt you, but I don't think I've been as conscious of acting in a way that will help you ..."

In reporting on the e-mails, The Miami Herald said that deLuzuriaga's stories "seemed generally neutral" and that Carvalho was quoted in about 30 of 110 stories deLuzuriaga wrote in 2007. Herald Executive Editor Anders Gyllenhaal said in the Herald story that "if these e-mails are real, this violates some of the most basic rules of our profession."

Powers would not say whether the Globe had reviewed deLuzuriaga's work there. The reporter left the Herald for the Globe in September 2007. According to a Globe biography, deLuzuriaga majored in journalism at Northwestern University and worked at the Orlando Sentinel before moving to the Herald.

The imbroglio did not prevent Carvalho from being promoted to Miami-Dade schools superintendent. He started his new job earlier this month.