Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Second USA Today editor leaves in fraud scandal BY SETH SUTEL THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A second top editor stepped down from USA Today on Thursday as the fallout from a fraud scandal involving a former star reporter spread. A third told staffers he would be departing soon. Hal Ritter, the newspaper’s managing editor of news, submit ted his resignation to publisher Craig Moon on Thursday. He had been in his current role since 1995 * and had worked at the paper since it was founded in 1982. Ritter’s departure came on the same day the newspaper revealed the scathing conclusions of an in vestigation by three veteran jour nalists into the work of former star reporter Jack Kelley. ' The panel determined that edi tors should have looked into con cerns about Kelley’s work long ago and that poor editorial oversight and a “virus” of fear helped Kelley n continue his improprieties for years. The newspaper’s top editor, Karen Jurgensen, retired abruptly in the wake of the scandal on Tuesday. Also, Brian Gallagher, the newspaper’s executive editor, told his colleagues at a meeting Thursday that he would stay in his current role long enough to make a transition to the next editor, but would not remain in that job for the long term. In a note that Moon distributed to the paper’s staff, Ritter said his departure will “make it easier for my colleagues in News to contin ue the job of making the newspa per even greater.” The panel’s review found that Kelley committed many acts of fraudulent reporting for more than a decade, including fabricat ing parts of at least 20 stories and stealing at least 100 passages from other news organizations. The scandal has deeply embar Z T : 71 rassed USA Today, the nation’s largest-selling newspaper, and paralleled a debacle last year at The New York Times involving former reporter Jayson Blair. The panel’s findings, which were delivered to Moon last week, were detailed in a full page of ar ticles in USA Today’s Thursday editions, and a good portion of the report was posted on its Web site. The panel said USA Today’s poli cies as well as routine editing pro cedures “should have raised dark shadows of doubt about Kelley’s work, had his editors been vigilant and diligent. They were not.” Prior to Ritter’s resignation, Moon said in an interview that he anticipated making other person nel changes, but had declined to be more specific. He also said he ex pected to keep Kelley’s wife, Jacki, in her current position as the news paper’s top advertising executive. As for addressing the panel’s concerns about a fearful culture in the newsroom, Moon said: “I think new leadership fixes that.” Kelley’s work was held up to others as an example, he was given plum foreign assignments and asked to speak to various groups on behalf of the newspaper. He also co-authored two books with USA Today’s founder, A1 Neuharth. Kelley, 43, resigned in January after admitting to trying to deceive a team of editors examining the veracity of his work. A subsequent review by. the outside experts found that Kelley had engaged in extensive fakery and plagiarism dating back as early as 1991. Until now Kelley’had stood by his work, admitting only to at tempting to deceive the initial in vestigation. But Kelley acknowl edged in a statement to the paper through lawyers that he mad “a number of serious mistakes that vi olate the values that are most im portant to me as a person and as a journalist,” he said. | f V ^ /«£,. | Nostalgia ** K or 7 Nonsense? | 5 Should USC $ print a ,£ yearbook? iA*, t>W Give us your opinion at ^ www.sa.so.edu/StudentMedia L1 C{>/l4+t£l AN HISTORIC RESIDENCE Efficiency $525 One Bedroom $585 Two Bedroom $620 Rent includes all utilities and cable TV. All rates quoted are month to month. (Leases available, prices subject to change) • Located across from the University Of South Carolina Horseshoe and the State Capital, Cornell Arms offers the premier location for downtown living. (803) 799-1442 1230 PENDLETON STREET COLUMBIA, SC 29201 A FAMILY TRADITION AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA ( A premiere location (walking distance to USC) Fully furnished apartments USC Shuttle service to campus Computer lab Free movie rentals Friendly management team i, 2,3 and 4 bedroom apartments Call 254-7801 for an appointment or visit us at 211 Main Street (across from the College of Engineering) Still looking? Better hurry - filling up fast! a v STERLING UNIVERSITY Oaks IHWH i BB- 252-2634 ^ 21 National Guard Rd. Shuttle to (JSC FREE Tanning Pool & Hot Tub Fitness Center