New York Times article on Dianna Russini’s alleged FaceTime claim contradicted by body-cam video
Body-camera footage released by a media watchdog shows that former Times reporter Dianna Russini did not FaceTime an NFL coach to avoid a texting-while-driving ticket, contradicting a recent Times story that labeled the conduct unacceptable.
Body-camera video obtained by the Center Square reveals that former New York Times reporter Dianna Russini never attempted to FaceTime an NFL coach to evade a traffic citation for texting while driving, contrary to a recent Times article that described the alleged behavior as “unacceptable conduct.”
The Times story, which used the FaceTime claim as the lead for a longer profile of Russini, did not cite the video evidence before publication. Critics note that the newspaper’s own ethics guidelines stress the need for accurate fact-checking and prompt corrections, yet the article has not been updated to reflect the new evidence.
Questions have also been raised about the Times’ handling of earlier reporting involving Russini and Patriots coach Mike Vrabel, including delays in notifying editors and inconsistencies between statements and later-released photographs.
The discrepancy adds to ongoing scrutiny of journalistic standards at both the New York Times and The Athletic, where an internal investigation into Russini’s conduct is pending.
