Times ticking!
Some inside the New York Times building are beginning to wonder what’s taking so long with the Dianna Russini investigation, we’re told — but top editors have reiterated promises that it’s coming. Though they say a report is still “weeks” away.
The debacle began in early April when Page Six published photographs of Russini — the top NFL reporter for the Athletic, the Times-owned outlet that provides all the Grey Lady’s sports coverage — holding hands with New England Patriots’ head coach Mike Vrabel.
Internal strife at the Times began after the Athletic’s top editor, Steven Ginsberg, immediately backed Russini, saying that the pictures were “misleading and lack essential context” — then saying days later that “additional information emerged [and] new questions were raised.” He pledged an inquiry.
Russini — who has staunchly denied an affair — resigned on April 14, saying she “stand[s] behind every story I have ever published.”
As we’ve previously reported, the episode raised questions internally about the impartiality of Russini’s work, but also about how the culture at the Athletic — which the Times bought in 2022 — squares with that at the Times. One insider told Page Six it was “embarassing” for staff.
But two months later, Russini’s colleagues still don’t have answers — and insiders tell us that, while announcement of the probe quelled some concerns, the long wait is beginning to raise them anew. Now we’re told Ginsberg addressed the matter at a routine all-hands meeting of Athletic staffers last week.
“It’s going to take a few more weeks,” he said, “There’s just a lot to go through, and we obviously want to take our time and be careful doing that. We will update everybody when we get to the end of that. We’ve also said that if we find anything that needs to be corrected, we will correct it along the way.”
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