Newsweek publishes scathing report on parent company after staff threatens to quit

NEW YORK: Newsweek published a scathing report into the company after staff investigating Newsweek Media Group’s (NMG) connections to Olivet University were blocked from doing so, reports CNN.

Olivet University is a Christian school established by a church headed by Korean-American Pastor David Jang. Former employees told CNN that they did not feel their work was being influenced even though they were aware of five senior members associated with the Church.

The conflict between senior executives and the editorial team emerged after the Manhattan District Attorney raided NMG’s office and confiscated 18 servers from the company to investigate links between NMG and Olivet University last month. In order to maintain journalistic independence, Newsweek staff felt it important to report on their parent company because of those investigations.

But in the course of reporting on the story, However, editor-in-chief Bob Roe and executive editor Ken Li and reporter Celeste Katz were dismissed from the company due to their reporting attempt. More than a dozen staffers resigned as a result of those dismissals.

NMG co-founder Jonathan Davis told editors in a meeting that the reporting had harmed potential business deals.

Staff members who stayed on succeeded in publishing the piece written by Katz, Josh Keefe and Josh Saul on Newsweek’s website on Tuesday night. One source told CNN that the publication of the piece was “a bloody battle” with executives who tried to slow down and halt the publication altogether. The Company’s CEO, however, Dev Pragad, allowed the report to be published freely.

“As we were reporting this story, Newsweek Media Group fired Newsweek Editor Bob Roe, Executive Editor Ken Li and Senior Politics Reporter Celeste Katz for doing their jobs. Reporters Josh Keefe and Josh Saul were targeted for firing before an editor persuaded the company to reverse its decision. As we continued working on the story, we were asked to take part in a review process which, we ultimately learned, involved egregious breaches of confidentiality and journalism ethics. We believe that subjects of the story were shown parts of the draft, if not the entire piece, prior to publication by a company executive who should not have been involved in the process. At an on-the-record interview with the subjects of this story, a company official asked editors to identify confidential sources. On-the-record sources were contacted and questioned about their discussions with Newsweek Media Group reporters. We resisted their efforts to influence the story and, after learning of the review’s ethical failings, the reporters and editors involved in this story felt they would be forced to resign. At that point, a senior Newsweek Media Group executive said the company’s owners would ensure independent review and newsroom autonomy going forward. This story was written and edited Tuesday, free of interference from company executives,” the article’s editorial note said.

Advertising space on Newsweek worth $ 1,49,000 was offered to Hudson Valley Regional Airport and Dutchess County tourism near the town of Dover in upstate New York free of cost even though Newsweek’s parent company was experiencing financial constraints. In its plans to build a satellite campus, Olivet University was seeking construction permits and tax breaks from Dover authorities.

NMG co-founder Jonathan Davis and his wife, who is the president of Olivet University admitted to the relationship between Newsweek and the University, accepting that they were more deeply connected than had previously been recognised.

NMG, previously known as International Bussiness Times (IBT), has previously been investigated by other news outlets exploring its relationship with Olivet University and David Jang.

“Jang sees Community-affiliated media organizations, including IBT, as an essential part of his mission to build the kingdom of God on Earth. He has said that media companies affiliated with the Community are part of a new Noah’s ark designed to save the world from a biblical flood of information,” reported Mother Jones in 2014.

NMG has not yet commented on the Newsweek report but responded to the Mother Jones investigation in 2014 by stating that “Any claims that we are engaged in activities with organizations that go beyond what is commonly recognized as appropriate and ethical behaviour are categorically false.”

Uncertainty looms over how executives will react to the Newsweek article. Some staff member doubt if there can be an independent newsroom at the company whilst others are preparing to resign.