ASNE withdraws award

ASNE withdraws award to Globe columnist Patricia Smith
Posted 7/1/1998 7:15:00 PM


RESTON, Va. — The American Society of Newspaper Editors has withdrawn its Distinguished Writing Award made to Boston Globe columnist Patricia Smith in April. The ASNE board of directors issued the following statement:


ASNE recognized The Boston Globe columnist Patricia Smith's talent as a writer by awarding her the Distinguished Writing Award in 1998 based on five columns written in 1997. Subsequent examination by the Globe revealed instances of fabrication in her work, though none of the articles submitted to ASNE included fabrications.


Everyone in journalism is saddened to learn that Patricia Smith fabricated portions of her work. Appropriately, she resigned from the newspaper. There is no place in journalism for fabrication of any kind.


At the urging of the editors of the Globe, the ASNE board of directors has withdrawn the award.


Founded in 1922, ASNE is an organization of the main editors of daily newspapers in the United States and Canada. There are currently 850 members.