Bloomberg News is under fire for breaking an embargo and publishing a story that Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich and his fellow detainees had been released before the plane they were on had left Russian airspace.
One Bloomberg staffer, Jennifer Jacobs, has been fired. And it looks like the news organization has a mess on its hands. Jacobs issued a statement saying that yes, of course she wrote up the story beforehand, but the decision to hit “publish” was in the hands of higher-ups:
As a journalist, the idea that I would jeopardize the safety of a fellow reporter is deeply upsetting on a level that’s difficult to describe. I am so happy Evan Gershkovich and the others are home.
In reporting the story about Evan’s release, I worked hand in hand with my editors to adhere to editorial standards and guidelines. At no time did I do anything that was knowingly inconsistent with the administration’s embargo or that would put anyone involved at risk.
Reporters don’t have the final say over when a story is published or with what headline. The chain of events here could happen to any reporter tasked with reporting the news. This is why checks and balances exist within the editorial processes.
I deeply respect the Wall Street Journal and all of the work they did to bring one of their own home. I am proud to be part of the journalism profession and have great admiration for my fellow reporters that do this important work.
It looks like Bloomberg has some explaining to do. More from Poynter Online and from CNN.