New York Magazine Ends Columnist’s Contract After Plagiarism Review Affects 67 Articles

New York Magazine announced Friday that it has terminated its relationship with columnist Ross Barkan following an independent editorial investigation into plagiarism allegations. The magazine determined that Barkan failed to meet its editorial standards, prompting a comprehensive review that identified attribution deficiencies across dozens of his articles. The publication subsequently corrected and updated 67 columns to include proper sourcing and attribution of language and information that had been inadequately credited.

In a formal statement, the magazine acknowledged the failures and expressed regret that the work did not align with its standards. “We have updated our archives to include proper attribution in all of the stories that our review found previously inadequate, noting that those updates were made,” the publication stated. The outlet also apologized to writers whose work had not been properly attributed in Barkan’s pieces.

Barkan responded to the decision by stating the two parties had mutually agreed to end the column arrangement. He acknowledged that across his nearly 250 pieces for the outlet, he “should have been more careful with citation” and apologized for the lapses. Despite the controversy, Barkan indicated plans to launch a new column in September.

The scrutiny intensified after Washington Post reporter Drew Harwell identified similarities between one of Barkan’s columns about conservative commentator Ben Shapiro and The Daily Wire with Harwell’s own reporting. NPR correspondent Bobby Allyn subsequently documented additional instances where Barkan appeared to have used comparable language and phrases from articles published by The Intercept and Compact Magazine.

When initially confronted about the allegations in May, Barkan rejected the criticism, telling Fox News Digital that he “did not plagiarize anyone.” His stance shifted following the magazine’s internal review and formal conclusion.