To our readers:
Recently, a writer from another publication complained that one of our stories included passages taken from one of her published stories without attribution.
A review of that article raised concerns, and we subsequently examined more than 600 stories published since January 2016 by staff writer Anne Blythe. We found at least a dozen that contained phrases, sentences or, in some cases, whole paragraphs, lifted from other publications.
Anne has been with The News & Observer and our affiliated publications for more than 30 years. She has been a treasured colleague who has done some important work, but plagiarism and inadequate attribution are a fundamental violation of trust. As such, we have decided to part ways.
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We are appending a note to each of these online stories (listed below) explaining that information was improperly taken from sources without attribution. We will add disclosures to any other stories that surface and are shown to have similar flaws.
Journalism is a daily act of faith. It’s a contract between our journalists and you, the reader, that is built on a foundation of trust that we will produce stories we believe to be both accurate and original.
While we rely on other writers and publications to inform our research and reporting process, we have an obligation to attribute facts and information that we glean from those sources and to ensure that the words we write and publish are our own.
We take violations of our core values seriously, and I apologize to both our readers and to the writers and publications from whose work passages were taken.
Robyn Tomlin
Executive Editor
Stories:
Popular Raleigh blogger and friend awarded $5 million for Fyre Fest debacle
NC sues drugmaker accused of bribing doctors to prescribe powerful opioid spray
Should bosses be able to pocket the tips of servers, bartenders and hair stylists?
After an inmate’s long fight, NC prisons ordered to treat his views like other faiths
NC attorney general sues Trump over separating parents and kids, asks if any are housed here
‘Families Belong Together’: Raleigh crowds protest Trump’s separation and detention policies
Supreme Court upholds part of Stanford law professor’s redistricting plan for NC
With Kennedy gone from Supreme Court, what’s next for NC gerrymandering case?
Rare red wolf is found dead in NC; reward offered to find shooter
DACA recipients rally in NC: ‘We were not born illegal. ...We are here to stay.’
Is NC partisan gerrymander case up next after Supreme Court ‘punts’ on Wisconsin and Maryland?
Upset with citizenship question, NC takes Trump administration to court
Don’t ‘reward gamesmanship and obstinacy,’ NC gerrymander challengers say
Exotic dancer’s lawsuit in Colorado could have impact on Raleigh club
US attorneys focus on prescription opioid and heroin abuse
What role did pharmacy companies play in opioid crisis? NC’s attorney general is investigating
He was wrongfully convicted. Now he’s getting $4 million.
NC law replacing HB2 is still a bathroom bill that discriminates, challengers claim
NC among states suing Betsy DeVos over delays to student loan protections
NC appeals court rules on eugenics cases
Families of NC eugenics victims no longer alive still have shot at compensation
Surviving families of eugenics victims lose latest round in court fight to get compensation
Manchester bombing renews Raleigh family’s resolve to fight Twitter and ISIS in court
Former UNC player Chris Hawkins charged with violating sports agent law
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