Leon Neyfakh of the New York Observer writes Wednesday about New York Times economics reporter Edmund Andrews, whose lack of disclosure about his wife’s bankruptcy in writing about how his family has been affected by the current economy has him in hot water.
Neyfakh writes, “On Tuesday, Times Magazine editor Gerald Marzorati told Off the Record that while the fact of the first bankruptcy doesn’t really bother him, he wished Mr. Andrews had included a reference to the second, because it took place in the midst of other events described in the piece.
“‘I would have liked to have known about it, and if I had known about it, it would have been in the piece,’ Mr. Marzorati said. ‘But I don’t think it’s a kind of scales-fall-from-your-eyes revelation. I mean, if you read this excerpt and don’t come away thinking that both Ed and his wife have certain issues about money, I don’t think you read the piece very carefully.’ Mr. Marzorati said the excerpt had been fact-checked by The Magazine’s staff.
“But wasn’t the central conceit of the piece that what happened to Mr. Andrews — an upstanding, well-paid, well-informed reporter who should have known better — could have happened to anyone? Doesn’t the fact that his wife had a financially turbulent past undercut that idea?
“‘It’s pretty clear from the piece, whether it was ultimately Ed’s intention or not, that there were individual decisions that got them into this situation they’re in,’ said Mr. Marzorati. ‘To be honest, I think he wants you to understand that. I don’t think he’s trying to blame the system for his problems.'”
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