¶ … discovery that a New York Times reporter had been plagiarizing and exaggerating stories. Entitled, "More Reporting By Times Writer Called Suspect, this Washington Post article was on of the earliest to address the fiasco occurring at the New York Times. My original reaction to the story was of shock -- to hear that plagiarism had occurred, especially at the New York Times, seemed so unprofessional as to raise doubts about the legitimacy of the claim. The New York Times, after all, is arguably the most prestigious in the United States, maybe even the world. The best writers and editors from around the country make up this newspaper that has been in circulation for decades. The fact that blatant plagiarism and story exaggeration had occurred, and that it was missed by the editors, made me second-guess the true legitimacy and accuracy of the New York Times.

The evidence against the writer, Jayson Blair, was indisputable. He even admitted to his actions...

The "liberties" Blair took were not limited to a couple of incidences, but rather could be traced in many stories dating back to 1998. As the situation was further explored by members of all media sources (including those at the New York Times), more flaws and inaccuracies were revealed, all of which were subsequently admitted by Blair.
Following the break of the Blair story, the situation at the New York Times office was dire. All editors involved were subject to harsh scrutiny by other administrators and media sources. In the end, three people left the New York Times as a result of the fiasco: Blair and two of the paper's top editors. Even this did not stop the questioning the New York Time's handling of the situation, as many called for new policies in order to prevent such an event from happening again.

Obviously, running an organization like the New York Times requires constant attention to one's reputation. After all, it…