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Daily News, Village Voice Writer Caught In Fabrication Scandal

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A Daily News education reporter was fired today after it was revealed that he fabricated a freelance story he wrote for the Village Voice. Rob Sgobbo, a 2010 graduate of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, was caught in the Jayson Blair-like scandal, and has since had his stories removed from places such as the News, Voice and Huffington Post.

According to Voice editor Tony Ortega, he allegedly "invented a character, 'Tamicka Bourges,' who claimed she had amassed a large debt at Berkeley College without obtaining a degree" in a story about for-profit "proprietary" colleges (you can see the cached story here). Berkeley College contacted the Voice to deny a spokeswoman quoted in the story had spoken to Sgobbo—and to say that Tamicka Bourges was not a student at the school.

Business Insider reports that Sgobbo was a top honor student who received the "Hechinger award for education journalism" last year. One former classmate recounted Sgobbo's popularity and abilities in the Boston Globe, while another former classmate told BI, "he honestly always did seem somewhat cocky about how easy it was for him to find good sources, but this is like, really brazen."

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Comments [rss]

  • JimboGold853OKG

    This is more Stephen Glass than Jayson Blair in its fabulist's blind ambition and desperation to be liked.

  • student5

    You want to go ahead and make up stories, be my guest, but I am a student at Berkeley College and I can tell you one thing, you get what you pay for. I am about to graduate with a Bachelor's degree this upcoming summer and I couldn't have asked for a better support system than what Berkeley has been able to offer to me. Every step of the way, they are there giving me support, advice and answering any questions I may have about my degree. This writer had nothing better to write about and had to take a well-liked school and knock it down! He also incorporated a racial component! Seriously!? We are a very well-diverse school and you know what, you meet some really interesting and respectful people. I'm glad Sgobbo was fired and he should think next time before making up some absurd story just to make money! GO BERKELEY COLLEGE!!!

  • freddynyc

    Do heterosexual men smile like that?

  • Rocknrope

    It's ok, no one ever looks up what you've done in the past, and there's no real way people can track your history, especially if you're in a field like journalism, right?

  • CityFace

    "Rob Sgobbo"? Gimme a break. You just made that up.

  • airtech1

    Let me go out on a limb and assume "Tamicka Bourges" isn't white or Asian. Sgobbo did the journalist's rendition of the 'person of color' crime sketch, tidy little stereotypes and all. Tough few months for Columbia--may need to reevaluate their core curriculum.

  • This dumbass thought these for-profit "education" colleges would let him rock their boat. Millions are at stake (by exploiting minorities and the American Dream via flagrantly overpriced tuition, which is backstopped and guaranteed by the government).

    Also, this is the info age. He thought his article wouldn't be archived in Google cache?

  • Inconcievable de Impublishable

    They looked up the former student to placate the media by "helping her." Fuck that. Those schools ARE scams.

  • Stanhope Charming

    I look forward to reading his book about the experience and then seeing the award winning film, starring Casey Affleck, adapted from the book. He's just 24 months shy of a very wealthy early retirement. Excellent planning!

  • lol. Jayson Blair wrote a book too.

  • NlGGAZ

    Gayface = A man, usually homosexual, with a distinctly effete facial structure with some very specific features; a strong jawline [sic] that lacks prominence, space between the eyes that recall people with down syndrome [sic], and a sloping, long forehead.Gay men do not differ from straight men in the size and shape of any facial feature. Rather, the use of certain expressions can become ingrained in the musculature of the face over time. Since effeminate gay men utilize similar facial expressions as women, they develop female aging and muscle contraction patterns in their face. For example, gay face includes tightness around the mouth from pursing the lips, a facial expression common to gay men and women—but not to heterosexual men. Also, gay men are more emotionally expressive, leading to a general 'tightness' and muscular activation throughout the entire face. Gay face includes an eye expression that is both surprised-looking and predatory. Eyebrows are usually arched higher than that of straight men, and eyebrow hair is manicured. There is often a slightly tan and/or leathery look to the skin, especially among older gay men

  • Inconcievable de Impublishable

    * citation needed

  • twophrasebark

    Rearrange the letters of "Tamicka Bourges" and you get "Bogus Cite Karma."

  • Tamicka Bourges must be related to Viane Delgado.

  • sean0

    I wonder if she knows Tawana Brawley.

  • Ph

    That was quick. Only took one post for someone to bring it up.

    You must have the tiniest dick ever.

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