HA ha...
and the RATS take another one in the...
Posted on 03/14/2006 3:21:40 PM PST by LurkedLongEnough
NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- The acting editor in chief at the Village Voice has left the weekly alternative newspaper, two weeks after overseeing publication of an issue containing fabricated material.
The Voice announced the departure of Doug Simmons on its Web site by posting a photograph of what appeared to be a paper napkin bearing a handwritten note from Village Voice Media Executive Editor Michael Lacey.
``Doug Simmons is no longer acting editor,'' the napkin said. ``Ward Harkavy, long time senior editor and Arizona crony, is now interim editor. Call us tomorrow for next update.''
In a brief telephone interview Tuesday, Lacey confirmed that Simmons was out, but declined to say whether he quit or was fired. He also wouldn't say whether the change was related to the paper's retracted March 1-7 cover story, a look at the New York dating scene by writer Nick Sylvester.
Almost immediately after its publication, the Voice revealed that Sylvester had fabricated anecdotes for the article, including a section that purported to describe a real-life television writer cruising for women at a New York bar.
The outraged screenwriter threatened a lawsuit. Sylvester was suspended. The Voice apologized for its ``shoddy journalism.''
Simmons' departure is the latest in an exodus that has followed the merger of the Voice with Phoenix-based New Times Media, another publisher of alternative weekly newspapers.
The Voice's editor in chief for nine years, Don Forst, quit in December. Voice publisher Judy Miszner resigned in January.
Simmons, previously the Voice's managing editor, was appointed as Forst's interim successor. He told the staff he was interested in filling the post permanently, but the paper ran a classified advertisement late last month seeking other candidates.
For now, the job will be filled by Harkavy, a senior editor who wrote in the 1990s for the Phoenix New Times (hence the ``Arizona crony'' reference in the napkin staff memo). Harkavy said he had no interest in assuming the post permanently.
As for Sylvester's future, Harkavy said, ``As far as I know, Nick Sylvester has been suspended for a month and he'll be back with us after that.''
Attempts to reach Simmons were not immediately successful.
In the left-winged world what he got would be considered a job promotion. So, congratulations are in order for the loser.
any wonder why m.s.m. is losing readers?
I just am not interested in their agenda driven "news".
Doug Simmons -- my onetime neighbor and giver of many a wild party.
People still read it?
Wow!
LOL! You have a got a scoop, I listened to the radio ALL DAY and didn't hear this one. Get on down to the Village, they could use a person of your intrepid reportage skills!
hahaha...
"...including a section that purported to describe a real-life television writer cruising for women at a New York bar."
Well, that's what blew the story, then. If it had been a gay guy cruisin' for guys, they never would've spotted the fabrication? *Smirk*
Glad to see another one bite the dust.
Artsy Fartsy
He fabricated such a trivial story? Hardly worth writing about, much less risking ones reputation.
And what half-assed newspaper puts out a classified ad for it's Editor-In-Chief position? Jeez...
Thirty years ago the voice was underground, now it is just another liberal rag outlet of garbbage news.
How ya doing Rude?
Just watchin' the game. Havin' a Bud.
Not sure I believe ya. "a" means one.
Sam Adams here.
For years I have read liberal accounts of social life in feature articles and thought to myself - no one in real life is like that! When they have a social agenda, they invent scenarios that "proves" their agenda is already a human reality.
Nobody would even read the Village Voice if it didnt have the 20 pages of naked hooker/tranny ads.
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