February 16, 2012: Few journalistic scandals in recent memory have been as riveting as that of Jayson Blair. Really, it had everything. Blair was a young reporter, apparently likeable and definitely hard-working, yet discovered in 2003 to have fabricated many articles during his several years on the job. His paper was none other than the august New York Times, which was struggling itself under the weight of enhanced public scrutiny and the difficulty of finding its footing in an increasingly digital world. Then there were all the eye-popping recriminations and resignations, to say nothing of the torpedoed trust the publication endured as a result. And, oh yes, there was also the small matter of Blair being an African-American, and the roiling suggestions that he had been allowed to obtain and retain his position because of race. Does this kind of thing get any juicier?
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