Jayson Blair Article Correction

An article I posted on Ghost Sites a long time ago on New York Times reporter Jayson Blair earned me an e-mail from Douglas Mintz, who very courteously suggested that I overlooked important facts relating to his own role in New York's Internet reporting media. Its text follows:

----- Original Message -----
From: Mintz, Doug
To: Steve_Baldwin@hotmail.com
Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2004 3:32 PM
Subject: Dot com reporters

Somehow I just stumbled onto an article you wrote about Jayson Blair last year. In it you talked about a panel that I sat on with Jayson Blair. In the column you noted that the reporters offered "tricks of the trade" on how to get media attention.

Let me say that I was surprised to see my name swept in with Jayson's for several reasons. One, I was the antithesis of the "puff piece" writer during my time on the alley. For instance the prophetic: http://siliconalley.venturereporter.net/
issues/sar03142001.html#Headline7984 (which I still take great pride in!). I received tons of nasty emails after this. Also, after I projected in the spring of 2002 that the Nasdaq would not return to 5000 for at least 10 years (if ever). Unfortunately that one is only in print.

Second, believe it or not I was also a subject of Jayson Blair's once. He and I attended U. of Maryland at the same time I did and I served on the Student Government while he was a beat writer. Needless to say he was much despised by the Student Government Association members.

Ultimately, while I have no need to defend my career as a journalist, I would prefer not to be grouped in with Jayson Blair, for whom I have no respect now and had no respect when our paths crossed earlier in life.

Anyway, I just wanted to set the record straight for a moment.

Douglas S. Mintz
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
180 Maiden Lane
New York, New York 10038
Telephone: 212-806-5791
Desktop Facsimile: 212-806-7791
Firm Facsimile: 212-806-6006
Email: dmintz@stroock.com