The New York Times will see two journalists depart the newspaper amid controversy due to their past behavior. Donald McNeil, a science reporter, and Andy Mills, an audio journalist, handed in their resignations.
McNeil’s departure comes after allegations of inappropriate comments, including a racial slur during a guide on a Times-sponsored student trip to Peru in 2019.
Dean Baquet, the Times’s executive editor, and Joe Kahn, the managing editor, wrote a statement concerning McNeil’s resignation.
“We do not tolerate racist language regardless of intent,” they wrote. “We are committed to building a news report and company that reflect our core values of integrity and respect, and will work with urgency to create clearer guidelines and enforcement about conduct in the workplace, including red-line issues on racist language.”
Afterward, McNeil offered his statement concerning his departure from the Times.
“I should not have done that,” McNeil wrote. “Originally, I thought the context in which I used this ugly word could be defended. I now realize that it cannot. It is deeply offensive and hurtful.”
“For offending my colleagues — and for anything I’ve done to hurt The Times, which is an institution I love and whose mission I believe in and try to serve — I am sorry. I let you all down,”
Meanwhile, Mills leaves due to the newspaper adding an editor’s note for a podcast on ISIS, stating that the project depended heavily on a source whose information ended up being false or exaggerated. Furthermore, Mills had accusations of sexual harassment in 2018, including unwanted touching.
The former Times audio journalist offered his statement over his resignation too.
“Today, I’m resigning from The New York Times. Those are not words I ever wanted to write,” Mills said on his website. “While I remain proud of our team and what we were able to accomplish with Caliphate, getting any aspect of any story wrong, by any degree, is a journalist’s worst nightmare.”
“Like all human beings, I have made mistakes that I wish I could take back. Nine years ago, when I first moved to New York City, I regularly attended monthly public radio meet up parties where I looked for love and eventually earned a reputation as a flirt,” Mills added. “Eight years ago, during a team meeting, I gave a colleague a back rub. Seven years ago, I poured a drink on a coworker’s head at a drunken bar party. I look back at those actions with extraordinary regret and embarrassment. I feel it is in the best interest of both myself and my team that I leave the company at this time.”
Eduardo Razo is the Assistant Content Editor for BNM, which includes writing daily news stories on the news media industry. He can be found on Twitter @eddierazo_ or you can reach him by email at eddie1991razo@gmail.com.
