New York Magazine has parted ways with columnist Ross Barkan following an investigation into accusations of plagiarism. The magazine announced that an independent review revealed that Barkan had not complied with their editorial standards, resulting in revisions to 67 of his columns which lacked proper language, information, or source attribution. They expressed regret that Barkan’s work did not meet expectations and apologized to the original authors of the material that was improperly credited.
In response, Barkan acknowledged a need for greater caution in his work, stating that he appreciates the magazine despite the circumstances. He mentioned that during his nearly 250 articles, there were instances where he should have been more diligent with quoting sources. Barkan also hinted at a new column he plans to unveil in September.
The controversy originated in May when Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell accused Barkan of reusing material from a report about conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and his outlet, the Daily Wire. Harwell pointed out striking similarities between the articles, prompting New York Magazine to add an editor’s note giving credit to the Washington Post.
Further scrutiny from NPR’s Bobby Allyn found additional cases where Barkan seemed to lift phrases from other publications, including The Intercept and Compact Magazine. Allyn noted that certain paragraphs echoed the same 30 words in succession or featured nearly identical sentences with minor word changes.
Initially, Barkan resisted the criticism, asserting he did not engage in plagiarism.
