https://twitter.com/TimHerrera/status/544922866949844993
Jessica Pressler of New York magazine brought us the ridiculous story of $72 million stock-picking whiz Mohammed Islam. We were pretty sure the story was B.S. the moment we heard about it — and we’re just lowly, unsophisticated bloggers. You’d think a “star” journalist tapped by a major financial news company’s investigative unit would know something about the world of stock market investing. Yet even after the story was debunked, Pressler continued to defend her sloppy reporting.
Despite her shoddy reporting and lack of common sense, Pressler still has defenders within the mainstream media. Like the Washington Post’s Tim Herrea, whose enconiums are reproduced above.
And he’s not alone.
Here’s Los Angeles Times reporter Laura Nelson:
@TimHerrera I love her work, this doesn't change that at all
— Laura J. Nelson ? (@laura_nelson) December 16, 2014
Media/technology writer Matt Haber:
Yes, this $72 Million Kid con is embarrassing for @NYMag, but @jpressler is a great reporter and a fantastic writer. Full stop.
— Matt Haber (@Matthaber) December 16, 2014
Fast Company editor Maccabee Montandon:
What he said. MT @Matthaber yes… but @jpressler is a great reporter and a fantastic writer. Full stop.
— Maccabee Montandon (@maccabeem) December 16, 2014
Fox Business Network senior correspondent Charlie Gasparino:
note to @jpressler: hang in there. we all make mistakes & yours didnt start a war or anything close. most of all youre a talented journalist
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) December 16, 2014
@djspbb @jpressler a BS mistake real ones cause riots and wars (remember wmd's?) she will learn from it and ppl shld leave her alone
— Charles Gasparino (@CGasparino) December 17, 2014
Recommended
Financial Times columnist John Gapper:
@pkedrosky incidentally, @jpressler is a fab reporter. There but for the grace of God . . .
— John Gapper (@johngapper) December 16, 2014
Buzzfeed business reporter Sapna Maheshwari:
the level of abuse being heaped on @jpressler is absurd/hard to observe for anyone who's followed her killer, smart, witty work over the yrs
— Sapna Maheshwari (@sapna) December 16, 2014
Business Insider researcher Nicholas Quah:
https://twitter.com/nwquah/status/544991293915795457
Atlanta Journal Constitution reporter Sean Sposito:
Im tired of trolls. @jpressler is an incredible journalist whose past work has been exemplary. Piling on past a correction is low.
— Sean Sposito (@seansposito) December 17, 2014
@ConcubineEcon most of the criticism is surely coming from mouth breathers — and journalists taking part must not look in the mirror often
— Sean Sposito (@seansposito) December 17, 2014
Former New York Times reporter Kevin Roose, who is currently working for a ABC-Univision joint venture:
https://twitter.com/kevinroose/status/544887606215856128
If Pressler is one of the best reporters and fact-checkers in the MSM, that’s really saying something.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated with additional tweets.
Related:
New York magazine reporter who broke story about $72 million whiz kid goes into bunker mode
Here’s why that viral story about $72 million stock market whiz kid ‘smells like B.S.’; Updated
10 ‘real reporters’ who swallowed story about $72 million stock market whiz kid
Story about kid who earned $72 million trading stocks on his lunch break gets even more ridiculous
Reporter who broke bogus $72 million whiz kid story is pretty pleased with herself
New York magazine stands by its bogus whiz kid stock-picker story
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