Layers Of Editorial Oversight

This is certainly the funniest thing I've read in a week or so. Or the funniest media screw up anyway. Double de Blasio: Most Wonderful Journalistic Disaster of the Year | National Review

So the Times of London wanted to interview Bill de Blasio about the upcoming mayoral election. In the words of Maxwell Smart, "Missed it by that much."

I would love to give you a link to this story, but alas I cannot. You see, the Times has removed it from its website, because as it turns out the paper never actually spoke to Bill de Blasio. The real Bill de Blasio took to Twitter almost immediately after the article was published to state that he had no idea what the heck was going on and that he’d never spoken to anyone with the Times of London. And he hadn’t!

Yet there was no fraud at play, only reputation-torching irresponsibility. Get this: the Times in its infinite wisdom apparently interviewed the wrong Bill de Blasio. The reporter emailed an address he believed to be the former mayor’s but that belonged instead to a random Long Islander of the same name. And the paper never bothered to confirm that its reporter was actually communicating with the real de Blasio — because after all, he was. (“I’m Bill DeBlasio. I’ve always been Bill DeBlasio.”)

But it didn't end there. Red State brings us the following: That Times of London-Bill deBlasio Controversy Keeps Evolving - and Keeps Getting Funnier

Spelling is so important. The Times of London spoke to Bill DeBlasio, not, Bill de Blasio. The ToL claimed they were duped. No. They were just lazy.

So what we are left with is not a news outlet falling victim to an aggressive trolling effort, but a case of either mistaken identity or journalism sloth, leading to a man having some mirthful fun at the expense of the paper.

It is a hard lesson to be learned in being comprehensive in the execution of our journalism. It may also be a good time to reflect on the importance of vetting your contact lists and being sure you are in contact with the proper officials in your correspondence.

Layers of editorial oversight failed to stop fake news. Again.