Shareholders Sue Over Israel Coverage
New York Times Shareholders Sue Over Israel Coverage and Editorial Standards
Anonymous
Key Points
1
The complaint cites the Times’ decision to resume using freelance video journalist Soliman Hijjy within days of Oct. 7, 2023, despite social-media posts praising Adolf Hitler; his byline was removed only after an outside watchdog flagged it, and he continued contributing to the paper.
2
The shareholders’ request was met by the Times’ argument that it was “pretextual” and that allowing investors to examine the records could “chill” protected journalism.
3
The former employee told The Free Press, “The public deserves a better picture of how the Times manufactures the news when Jews or Israel are involved.”
4
A recent editing controversy involved a Times article stating that Israelis “still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7.” The sentence was removed and attributed by the newspaper to an “editing error,” without an apology or an explanation of why the wording was objectionable, according to a media critique.
5
The complaint argues that the Times’ publication of “materially false or baseless factual assertions” supports an inference that journalistic standards were “weaponized within the company to serve the personal agendas of unchecked editors.”
Shareholders of The New York Times Company, including Florida's state pension fund, sued in New York County Supreme Court demanding internal records about the newspaper's Israel coverage. Fox News reported that the investors claim the board failed to enforce journalistic standards and withheld documents for four months. A former Jewish employee alleged she reported antisemitism and anti-Israel bias at least 15 times before leaving in March 2026, but managers dismissed her concerns.
The complaint argues the Times published factually false statements and removed corrections without explanation. Algemeiner noted the lawsuit centers on editorial oversight failures and whether the newspaper's credibility — a key business asset — has been damaged by disputed coverage of the Israel-Hamas war.
Freelancer With Hitler Praise Posts Remained on Staff
The lawsuit highlights the case of freelance video journalist Soliman Hijjy, whom the Times rehired just days after October 7, 2023, despite social-media posts praising Adolf Hitler. NTD reported that his byline was removed only after an outside watchdog flagged the posts. The complaint alleges Hijjy continued contributing to the paper even after this incident, raising questions about editorial vetting.
Disputed Edits and Unexplained Corrections
A Times article stating that Israelis "still largely view themselves as the victims of Oct. 7" was removed and the newspaper attributed it to an "editing error." The complaint notes the Times provided no apology or explanation for why the wording was objectionable. Algemeiner reported this editing controversy fueled investor concerns about whether journalistic standards were being applied consistently.
Former Employee Claims Internal Complaints Were Ignored
An unnamed former Jewish employee told The Free Press that she reported alleged antisemitism and anti-Israel bias to managers and human resources at least 15 times before leaving in March 2026. "The public deserves a better picture of how the Times manufactures the news when Jews or Israel are involved," she stated. The complaint alleges company leadership failed to investigate her concerns or enforce journalistic standards.
Times Argues Shareholder Records Request Is 'Pretextual'
The New York Times Company opposed the shareholders' request for internal documents, arguing it was "pretextual" and that releasing records could "chill" protected journalism. Fox News reported the shareholders contend the board's failure to provide oversight harmed the company's credibility as a core business asset. The Times had not immediately responded to comment requests about the lawsuit as of the filing date.
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