Fla. St. beat writer resigns amid plagiarism charges.

Have to agree, Doc. Lots of qualified and talented minorities who would have loved this gig and not embarrassed the organization.

 

Would love to know the relationship between Roy and Natalie. Was he a mentor or friend? Sure smells fishy to me that he snapped her up so quickly despite the controversy. Was he just trying help her land on her feet?

 

So she should be black-balled for how long?

 

NABJ?

 

She should have to start back at Square 1, not fall upward.

 

FWIW, I'm no longer in the business (made the decision to get out this past year for a more stable work environment and to move closer to family). However, this isn't a racial thing. It's the fact that Ms. Pierre had little experience at beat writing in Tallahassee (was mostly a video host), committed the ultimate sin for journalists and somehow fell up the stairs.
Diversity is fine and should be applauded and strived for in journalism. But this was an awful funny way for AL.com to go after it.

 

I should have known you were a racist just from your name, Red.

 

Speaking of fabricators -- is that the right word? -- who get better jobs: Mike Barnicle.

 

How did no one else catch this from the original Tallahassee.com statement:

Pierre gave her own statement on her website. In it, she profusely apologies but also avoids specifics about the story in question.

 

All the copy editors' applications were denied.

 

The "young lady's talent" was plagiarizing a story and not even making it two-thirds of her first year as a beat writer and then trying to spin her resignation more as not liking how Gannett is doing their reorganization. She doesn't even have one year of beat writing experience and after all this she gets hired as a "senior reporter"? Cmon.
If Roy wanted to create a new position and make it a diversity hire, more power to him. But this wasn't the way to do it.

 

More from a source close to AL.com: The staff was never made aware that the job Ms. Pierre was hired for even existed. Many are livid she was hired, due to the fact that they feel they'd never have received a second chance like she got after committing plagiarism. The feeling is that her work hasn't been impressive so far and she seems like a nice person who is in completely over her head in this position. Good times at AL.com!