New York City, NY – The NewsGuild of New York has accused The New York Times of discrimination against employees of Middle Eastern or North African descent during an investigation into leaks regarding the paper’s coverage of the Hamas attacks in Israel on October 7th. The union leadership claimed that employees were targeted based on their national origin, ethnicity, and race, leading to hostile questioning by management.
In a letter obtained by The Washington Post, NewsGuild of New York president Susan DeCarava called for The Times to stop what she described as a racially targeted “witch hunt.” The union alleged that employees were questioned about their involvement in an affinity group for Middle Eastern and North African heritage employees and pressured to disclose private conversations related to workplace concerns.
More than 20 Times employees were reportedly questioned in the leak investigation, with a union steward present to provide guidance, according to the Guild. The Times, however, vehemently denied the accusations made by the union, calling them “preposterous” and emphasizing the importance of trust and collaboration in the newsroom.
The leak probe was initiated after The Intercept reported that The Daily podcast had canceled an episode featuring a major investigative report on gender-based violence during the Hamas attacks. The Times defended its reporting in subsequent statements but faced internal tensions as questions arose about the credibility of the story.
Criticism and doubts surrounding the Times’s reporting prompted internal meetings with employees to identify the source of the leaked information. The leak investigation, first reported by Vanity Fair, shed light on the challenges of maintaining transparency and trust within news organizations.
The controversy deepened with revelations about a freelancer’s social media activity endorsing extreme views on the conflict, leading to further scrutiny of the reporting process. The Times acknowledged the social media posts as “unacceptable” and initiated a review into the matter, raising concerns about journalistic integrity and source credibility.
Amidst the ongoing internal turmoil, the leak investigation has sparked discussions on the delicate balance between transparency and editorial integrity. The public scrutiny surrounding the leak probe reflects broader challenges faced by newsrooms in an era of heightened accountability and scrutiny.