Editor leaves Village Voice 2 weeks after fabrication case

[DoYouEverWonder]

March 14, 2006, 2:40 PM EST

NEW YORK -- The acting editor in chief at the Village Voice has left the weekly alternative newspaper, two weeks after overseeing publication of an issue containing fabricated material.

The Voice announced the departure of Doug Simmons on its Web site by posting a photograph of what appeared to be a paper napkin bearing a handwritten note from Village Voice Media Executive Editor Michael Lacey.

<snip>

In a brief telephone interview Tuesday, Lacey confirmed that Simmons was out, but declined to say whether he quit or was fired. He also wouldn't say whether the change was related to the paper's retracted March 1-7 cover story, a look at the New York dating scene by writer Nick Sylvester.

Almost immediately after its publication, the Voice revealed that Sylvester had fabricated anecdotes for the article, including a section that purported to describe a real-life television writer cruising for women at a New York bar.

The outraged screenwriter threatened a lawsuit. Sylvester was suspended. The Voice apologized for its "shoddy journalism."

http://www.newsday.com/news/local/newyork/ny-bc-ny--villagevoiceedito0314mar14,0,3364485.story?coll=ny-nycnews-headlines


So if you write a story and lie about people dating habits, justice is swift. While in the meantime, uptown at the NYT's you can publish multiple lies about WMD's and Iraq and you become a hero.

[rodeodance]

1. what was he thinking!

[President Jesus]

2. yes, spot on analysis

That Jason Blair statue out in front of the NY Times building really says it all. Oh, and it's true that everyone in the NYT newsroom just adores Judith Miller.

Again, well played.