New York Magazine Ends Ross Barkan’s Column Amid Plagiarism Allegations

New York Magazine has discontinued its collaboration with columnist Ross Barkan following an investigation into allegations of plagiarism. The publication confirmed on Friday that 67 of Barkan’s columns required updates to include proper attributions for language, information, and sources. These updates were part of a comprehensive editorial review prompted by the allegations.

An official statement from New York Magazine, highlighted by Semafor, acknowledged that Barkan’s work did not meet the publication’s editorial standards. The magazine has revised its archives to reflect these updates and expressed its commitment to addressing any further issues that may arise. As a conclusion to this review, New York Magazine decided to stop featuring Barkan’s column. They also conveyed their apologies to the original writers whose work was not correctly attributed.

Ross Barkan, addressing Fox News Digital, stated that the decision to end his column was mutual. He acknowledged occasional lapses in citation accuracy over his nearly 250 pieces. Expressing regret for these mistakes, Barkan pledged to improve his citation practices in future work. He also mentioned his plans to introduce a new column in September.

Vox Media, the parent entity of New York Magazine, did not provide immediate comments on the issue when approached by Fox News Digital.

The plagiarism allegations against Barkan surfaced in May, initiated by Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell. Harwell accused Barkan of replicating content from his report on Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire. New York Magazine subsequently amended its article to include an editor’s note crediting the Washington Post. Yet, Harwell mentioned uncertainty regarding the specifics of what occurred.

Further scrutiny by NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn revealed instances where Barkan’s articles appeared to mirror content from The Intercept and Compact Magazine. Allyn cited passages summarizing historical context with extended similar text and minor variations.

Initially, Barkan resisted the criticism, asserting to Fox News Digital that he had not plagiarized anyone and described the accusations as unfounded.

The situation underscores the importance of accurate sourcing and attribution in journalism, ensuring the integrity and credibility of published work.