Jill Abramson accused of lifting material for her book "Merchants of Truth"
/ AP
Former New York Times executive editor Jill Abramson is facing allegations that she lifted material from other sources for her new book, "Merchants of Truth." Abramson and her publisher are promising to investigate.
Vice correspondent Michael Moynihan posted a Twitter thread Wednesday listing what he said are several examples of passages in "Merchants of Truth: The Business of News and the Fight for Facts" that closely resemble material in The New Yorker, Time Out and other publications.
The following examples from the final book—not the galley—are only from the Vice chapters (I didn’t check the others). So let’s begin…Here is Abramson on Gavin McInnes (whom she interviewed) and the Ryerson Review of Journalism https://t.co/hx0XcyZ89k pic.twitter.com/qroN59gyVk
— Michael C Moynihan (@mcmoynihan) February 6, 2019
This passage, on former Vice News editor Jason Mojica, is lifted from a 2010 Time Out magazine piece, with small modifications: https://t.co/csNoONZQhX pic.twitter.com/aiQzwKEStl
— Michael C Moynihan (@mcmoynihan) February 6, 2019
This example is from one source–the New Yorker again–though the two sentences are separated by a page.https://t.co/Ux6gdDO9Qg pic.twitter.com/m3dnsQaOmv
— Michael C Moynihan (@mcmoynihan) February 6, 2019
"I take seriously the issues raised and will review the passages in question," Abramson tweeted Wednesday night. "I endeavored to accurately and properly give attribution to the hundreds of sources that were part of my research."
Released this week and praised by Walter Isaacson and Gay Talese among others, "Merchants of Truth" is a critique of the news business focused on two long-running newspapers, the Times and the Washington Post, along with Vice and fellow digital company BuzzFeed.
Abramson has previously been criticized for alleged factual errors, with reporters at Vice and PBS among those faulting her. On Wednesday, she responded that some criticisms arose from Vice's unhappiness with "Merchants of Truth" and its portrait of hypocrisy and sexism. Abramson tweeted that her book offered "a balanced portrayal."
In a separate statement, Simon & Schuster, a division of CBS, wrote that Abramson's book had given "an extraordinary degree of transparency toward its subjects; each of the four news organizations covered in the book was given ample time and opportunity to comment on the content, and where appropriate the author made changes and corrections. If upon further examination changes or attributions are deemed necessary we stand ready to work with the author in making those revisions."
Appearing Wednesday night on Fox News, Abramson disputed the allegations, saying: "All I can tell you is I certainly didn't plagiarize in my book and there's 70 pages of footnotes showing where I got the information." Writers are generally expected to credit their sources directly in the body of the text if the material is similar.
For her book, Abramson was assisted by John Stillman, whom she credits with helping her with research, reporting and writing. Stillman, a freelance journalist who has written for Gothamist and The Awl among others, declined comment when reached by telephone Wednesday night.
Abramson wrote for the Times and the Wall Street Journal among others before becoming the Times' first female executive editor in 2011, one of journalism's most prestigious and influential positions. She was fired three years later after frequently clashing with fellow staff members, and currently teaches creative writing at Harvard University.
Her previous works include "Strange Justice," a book about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that was co-written by Jane Mayer.
First published on February 7, 2019
© 2019 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Three tips for entrepreneurs with late-paying customers
More than two-thirds of small business owners can't pay themselves and nearly one-fifth can't invest in their businesses as a result
updated 7M ago
Ex-New York Times executive editor accused of lifting material for book
Jill Abramson disputed the allegations but said she would "review the passages in question"
updated 8M ago
White House pushes global women's initiative
President Trump signed a memo Thursday launching the "Women's Global Development and Prosperity" initiative
updated 12M ago
Whitaker refuses to testify unless Dems drop subpoena threat
The House Judiciary Committee empowered chairman Jerry Nadler to issue a subpoena to Whitaker
updated 10M ago
Global lawmakers try again to get Zuckerberg to testify
A Facebook vice president sat next to an empty chair reserved for CEO Mark Zuckerberg when the committee met in London last year
updated 23M ago
White House pushes global women's initiative
President Trump signed a memo Thursday launching the "Women's Global Development and Prosperity" initiative
updated 12M ago
Whitaker refuses to testify unless Dems drop subpoena threat
The House Judiciary Committee empowered chairman Jerry Nadler to issue a subpoena to Whitaker
updated 10M ago
Fairfax accuser told congressman about alleged assault over a year ago
Vanessa Tyson claims that the incident took place during the 2004 Democratic National Convention
1H ago
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez introduces 2020 policy test with Green New Deal
Progressive groups are expecting 2020 Democratic presidential candidates to embrace the ambitious plan to overhaul the nation's economy
2H ago
Feds open inquiry into billionaire's sex abuse plea deal
Jeffrey Epstein reached a deal in 2008 to secretly end a federal sex abuse case involving at least 40 teenage girls
3H ago
Global lawmakers try again to get Zuckerberg to testify
A Facebook vice president sat next to an empty chair reserved for CEO Mark Zuckerberg when the committee met in London last year
updated 23M ago
Mexico presents plan to find thousands missing amid drug war
"Our territory has become a huge clandestine grave," government official says as he announces multi-million dollar investment
2H ago
ISIS' territory nearly gone, but is U.S. leaving job "halfway" done?
One Kurdish commander said ISIS has already established an underground network of terror cells preparing to regroup and strike back
6H ago
Venezuela's Maduro tries to block humanitarian aid from U.S.
If U.S. manages to get desperately needed food and medicine into the country, it could boost the opposition, but it may not be easy
5H ago
Hunger pushing Maduro's troops to tipping point in Venezuela
The Venezuelan armed forces are the kingmakers in an epic power struggle
9H ago
Download Oscar ballot for your office pool or party
Planning an Academy Award office pool, or an Oscar-watching party? Download our ballot of nominees (pdf)
updated 29M ago
Cast of "My Best Friend's Wedding" reunites
Forever and ever, they'll stay in each other's hearts
1H ago
"Mobituaries": Mo Rocca on the enduring popularity of Audrey Hepburn
In her 1951 debut for American TV audiences, the actress re-enacted her wartime experience during the Nazi occupation of Holland
3H ago
Jay-Z offers legal assistance for detained rapper
"In addition to being a successful recording artist, 21 deserves to be reunited with his children immediately," Jay-Z said via Roc Nation
3H ago
John Prine, decades into his career, has never been more popular
Late career success brings new recognition to a man with a devoted following who's long been admired by his peers
4H ago
Global lawmakers try again to get Zuckerberg to testify
A Facebook vice president sat next to an empty chair reserved for CEO Mark Zuckerberg when the committee met in London last year
updated 23M ago
NASA and SpaceX reset Crew Dragon test flight for March 2
The Crew Dragon and Starliner spacecraft are the centerpieces of NASA's drive to resume launching U.S. astronauts aboard U.S. rockets from U.S. soil
18H ago
Earth could be headed for warmest period on record
The next five years could be even hotter than 2018, which was already near record territory
5H ago
Snap reports record revenues, but struggles to add users
Struggling social media company gets a badly needed boost in growth, while its losses narrowed
Feb 5
Dinosaur that used spiny back to defend itself found in Patagonia
The new species of dicraeosauridae, christened Bajadasaurus pronuspinax, was revealed in scientific journal Nature
Feb 5
Ozzy Osbourne hospitalized after flu complications
"His doctors feel this is the best way to get him on a quicker road to recovery," tweeted his wife Sharon
16H ago
Pet owners report dog deaths from recalled food
While one company is facing rash of unhappy consumers, it's one of at least 10 that distributed potentially toxic food
19H ago
New moms hit especially hard by opioid crisis
Research shows new mothers with opioid use disorder are at a higher of overdose due to lack of resources, shame and stigma
3H ago
Dad travels to Canada for son's medicine that would cost $53K in U.S.
In his State of the Union address, President Trump said his next major priority is lowering the cost of health care and prescription drugs
Feb 6
Fact checking Trump's State of the Union
Here's a look at the president's claims on foreign and domestic policy
21H ago
Three tips for entrepreneurs with late-paying customers
More than two-thirds of small business owners can't pay themselves and nearly one-fifth can't invest in their businesses as a result
updated 7M ago
BlackRock president: "You cannot invest for the future in the future"
A new survey by the investment giant suggests tens of millions of Americans still haven't started saving for their retirement
updated 28M ago
Denver teachers planning first strike in 25 years
Thousands of educators poised to walk out as labor actions continue to roil school districts around the U.S.
updated 39M ago
Delta and Coca-Cola apologize for napkins some call "creepy"
"We rotate Coke products regularly … but missed the mark with this one," Delta said
1H ago
BBT and SunTrust merge to create a Southern banking giant
The combined entity will become the No. 6 U.S. bank, with around $442 billion in assets and deposits
5H ago
Body found stuffed in suitcase identified as missing woman
Her body was found in a large suitcase roughly 20 feet off a busy roadway
2H ago
Feds open inquiry into billionaire's sex abuse plea deal
Jeffrey Epstein reached a deal in 2008 to secretly end a federal sex abuse case involving at least 40 teenage girls
3H ago
Questions persist in county's third Taser-related death
Family members say they have seen "shocking" videos that contradict the police account of Chinedu Okobi's death
5H ago
Caught on video: Man shooting school bus driver in head
Driver's wounds aren't life-threatening but police say incident's recklessness was "mind-numbing
10H ago
Man accused of kidnapping Jayme Closs appears in court
Jake Patterson faced a judge in person for the first time
Feb 6 Original Article