LA Times discontinues reporter's (Pulitzer prize-winning) column, blog

[SoCalDem]

Hugh Hewitt led the "charge" on this one..like Bennett did on a couple of others.. More 'astroturfed faux rage'..:puke:




Posted on Sun, Apr. 30, 2006
http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/breaking_news/14467400.htm


LA Times discontinues reporter's column, blog
Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Times announced it is discontinuing the column and Internet blog of a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter because the paper says he posted items online using assumed names.

The discontinuation of Michael Hiltzik's Golden State column, reported in an editor's note on the Times' Web site Sunday, came a week after the paper suspended Hiltzik's Golden State blog. The editor's note said the blog was also being discontinued.

"Hiltzik did not commit any ethical violations in his newspaper column, and an internal inquiry found no inaccurate reporting in his postings in his blog or on the Web," the editor's note said. "But employing pseudonyms constitutes deception and violates a central tenet of The Times' ethics guidelines: Staff members must not misrepresent themselves and must not conceal their affiliation with The Times."

Hiltzik did not immediately return phone or e-mail messages seeking comment early Sunday morning.

The editor's note said Hiltzik would be reassigned after serving a suspension.

It said Hiltzik "has acknowledged using pseudonyms to post a single comment on his blog on latimes.com and multiple comments elsewhere on the Web that dealt with his column and other issues involving the newspaper."


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