Village Voice Contributor Fabricated Sources

by Alex Alvarez | 10:11 am, January 7th, 2011

» 9 comments

Village Voice editor Tony Ortega decided to pull an article written by contributor Rob Sgobbo after the paper discovered that sources Sgobbo quoted in his article had been fabricated.

In his piece on for-profit colleges, “For-Profit Blues“, Sgobo quoted a woman named “Tamicka Bourges,” whom, he said, had accumulated massive debt while attending Berkeley College, without obtaining a degree.

Berkeley College reached out to the Village Voice, informing the paper that its spokesperson had never spoken to Sgobbo, and that it had no record of a student named Tamicka Bourges. Additionally, the U.S. Government Accountability Office informed the paper that “Matt Fraser,” quoted in the article as the organization’s spokesperson, did not, in fact, exist.

The paper has since apologized for the incorrect and misleading information.

This isn’t the first time the Voice has had to deal with less-than-honest contributors. Back in 2003, long-time Voice writer Vivian Gornick gave a talk at Goucher College during which she admitted that she had used “composite” characters and conversations in some of her pieces for the paper.

And in 2006, the paper was forced to pull a cover story by Nick Sylvester after people quoted in the story came forward saying they had never spoken to Sylvester.

journalism, Made-Up Sources, Rob Sgobbo, Village Voice

BatBoy

If Sgobbo was working for the NYT, he would have had a job today…maybe even a bonus!
Harry Flashman

Key phrase : “In his piece on for-profit colleges”

It was a piece that went after the evil “for profit” schools. Profit is bad, you know. Everything should come from the gubmint, and should either be cheap or free.

The subject didn’t merit an editor who would check it from the start. They just chuckled and ran with it like a stolen purse.

Oops.
http://twitter.com/SailRabbits Magister

It appears Ortega’s note simply replaced the offending article which makes it ironic, the title still fits.
More Liberty3

I’m sure this happens ALL THE TIME. This dude just got caught.
Just4thefax

Fact: For all the libs reading. I use the great words in liberals legends circles of Joy Behar! Who cares!
Arch

“I would have gotten away with it too, if they hadn’t, you know… published it.”

Seriously how stupid do you have to be to think you can get away with this forever. For a little while, sure, but eventually…
BatBoy

Alex wrote: “…had accumulated massive debt while attending Berkeley College, without obtaining a degree.”

Harry Flashman said:
It was a piece that went after the evil “for profit” schools.

Harry…first I agree with you…profit is NOT a four lettered word as the lefties would like you to believe.

Here is my issue
There are some “For profit” private schools who will take you for every penny you have and one could end up with no degree.

On the other hand…the same thing applies to Government funded colleges and Universities.
Here is the point…higher education is damn expensive…and I wonder how a graduate today will be able to pay for it….unless you know who rides in on his White Horse in Shining Armor (BO) offereing to pay for their education in exchange for community service.

Incidently, my Univ is only about 15% funded by the state as of this past summer and will be off the State gravey train in just a few short years.
M Colins

More demonstration of the fact to committed Leftists, their cause is so righteous that any means used to promote it is fair.
njoy-d-ride

Well, actually profit is a good thing. If it weren’t non of us would work. That being said… I know of a certain for-profit college in the area I live in that was hounding a young lady I know to no end… When her parents found out they stepped in kinda hard and pesky little for-profit college tucked tail and ran…

A little research said that this school had issues. But strangely enough, it used to be a reputable school until the chain was taken over by another company. I’m convinced that they are profiting from some kind of student loan scheme.

Gladly, this is the only for-profit college with this problem that I am aware of…