The Times Duped by Fake Bill de Blasio Interview, Editor Vows Tighter Verification
The New York Times has faced a significant embarrassment after a reporter was tricked into conducting a fake interview with an impersonator posing as former New York City mayor Bill de Blasio. The story, which was published earlier this week, has been retracted following the discovery of the hoax. Ian Brunskill, an associate editor at the newspaper, has sent a strongly-worded email to the newsroom expressing concern about the incident and outlining steps to prevent such occurrences in the future.
Brunskill highlighted two recent incidents where The New York Times was deceived by fake interviews, causing serious damage to the newspaper's reputation. He emphasized the importance of asking basic questions to verify the authenticity of sources and information, stating that these questions should be second nature to anyone working for a reputable newspaper. Red flags that should have raised suspicions in the de Blasio case include an unknown PR company with no telephone number and a well-known public figure expressing views completely at odds with their previous statements.
Brunskill noted that The New York Times is bound by the Editors' Code, which requires taking care to avoid inaccuracy. He pointed out that the Independent Press Standards Organisation (Ipso) would expect the newspaper to demonstrate what steps were taken to ensure accuracy if a complaint is made. The hoax interview has generated significant press coverage on both sides of the Atlantic, including in The New York Post, which is also owned by Rupert Murdoch.
The New York Times has retracted the story and will be taking steps to ensure such an incident does not happen again. Brunskill concluded that there are no excuses for being deceived and that The New York Times cannot afford to be fooled in the future. The newspaper is committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism and will be reviewing its procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future.
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