‘New Journalism’ Comes Under Strong Attack (Press, 27 May 1981)

A growing controversy regarding press credibility in the United States has emerged, with significant scrutiny directed towards the practice of "new journalism." This controversy was triggered by the revelation that a Pulitzer Prize-winning story from the Washington Post about an eight-year-old heroin addict, written by Janet Cooke, was fabricated. Since that initial revelation, there have been further incidents prompting resignations and critical assessments of journalistic ethics within major publications. In May 1981, a prominent New York journalist, Michael Daly, resigned from the New York Daily News after the London Daily Mail exposed his article about British troops firing at young rioters in Belfast as fictional. His piece purported to describe events in real-time from within an armoured vehicle, when, in reality, he had never been aboard the vehicle himself. The soldier he cited in the article was also a fictional character, mirroring issues faced by Cooke’s fabricated story. Another journalist under scrutiny is Teresa Carpenter, who received a Pulitzer Prize for her work on several murder stories, including one about liberal politician Allard Lowenstein, who was murdered by Dennis Sweeney. While Carpenter's story did not use fictitious names, critics have accused her of inventing other details, particularly surrounding Lowenstein’s alleged sexual encounters with Sweeney, which she based on anonymous sources. Carpenter defended her methods by stating that the omission of certain phrases was for the sake of brevity and claimed that her narrative reflected her intuition about Sweeney's mindset. However, veteran journalist Sidney Schanberg has expressed strong disapproval, labelling her methods irresponsible and calling for better journalistic practices. As the issue gains momentum, a national body, the National News Council, is now investigating both the Cooke and Carpenter cases, prompted by concerns raised from various quarters, including faculty members from Howard University. The findings of these investigations could potentially lead the Pulitzer Prize board to reconsider Carpenter's award. Amidst these controversies, the habits and ethics of journalism are under intense scrutiny, with discussions about the reliance on unattributable sources becoming a focal point for reform in newsrooms across the country. The council's review will officially begin discussions on June 11, 1981, as industry leaders grapple with the impact of these incidents on public trust and the future of journalistic integrity.

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