New Yorker parts ways with art critic after ‘inappropriate’ behavior at company party: report

New York Post - Mar 18th, 2025

The New Yorker has severed ties with its art critic, Jackson Arn, following complaints of his alleged inappropriate behavior during the magazine's 100th anniversary party. Reports suggest that Arn, who appeared intoxicated, made unwelcome advances towards guests, leading to his departure. The event, a glamorous gathering at Jean's restaurant in New York's NoHo neighborhood, included notable figures such as editor Tina Brown and author Zadie Smith. Arn, who took over from the late Peter Schjeldahl in August 2023, has not commented on the allegations, and Condé Nast has declined to discuss the personnel matter, maintaining confidentiality.

The story highlights both the swift action taken by The New Yorker to address behavior that could undermine its reputation and the challenges faced by organizations in managing high-profile personnel issues. Arn's departure underscores the magazine's commitment to maintaining a respectful environment, particularly during high-profile events celebrating its centennial milestone. His last published work, exploring cultural identities in art history, reflects his contributions to the field, though his future endeavors remain uncertain after this controversy. The incident adds to ongoing discussions about workplace conduct in media and publishing industries, emphasizing the importance of professional behavior even at celebratory gatherings.

The New Yorker Jackson Arn Condé Nast Tina Brown Zadie Smith Peter Schjeldahl Art Criticism Media Industry Workplace Conduct

Story submitted by Fairstory

RATING

5.4

Moderately Fair

Read with skepticism

The article covers a potentially controversial topic involving The New Yorker and its former art critic, Jackson Arn. While it provides a clear narrative of the events, it relies heavily on anonymous sources, which affects the accuracy and source quality. The lack of direct quotes and responses from the involved parties creates an imbalance and reduces transparency. Despite these issues, the story is timely and has some public interest due to the involvement of a prominent magazine and notable figures. Overall, the article could benefit from more comprehensive sourcing and balanced perspectives to enhance its credibility and impact.

Accuracy

The article makes several claims that require verification. It asserts that The New Yorker has cut ties with Jackson Arn due to inappropriate behavior at a party, but does not provide direct confirmation from the magazine or Arn himself. The claim about Arn's behavior is based on anonymous sources, which reduces the verifiability of the information. Additionally, the article mentions specific attendees at the party, which could be verified with guest lists or statements from those individuals. The story accurately notes Arn’s previous work history, but the lack of direct sources or official statements weakens its overall factual accuracy.

Balance

The article primarily presents the perspective of the allegations against Arn without providing his side of the story or a response from The New Yorker. This creates an imbalance as the narrative is largely one-sided. The absence of Arn's comments or an official statement from The New Yorker leaves the reader with an incomplete picture of the situation. Including perspectives from multiple parties involved would provide a more balanced view of the events.

Clarity

The article is generally clear in its language and structure, making it easy to follow. It presents the main events in a logical sequence, from the allegations against Arn to the details of the party and his career. However, the lack of direct quotes or statements from primary sources leaves some information vague, which could affect comprehension. Overall, the article maintains a neutral tone, but the clarity could be enhanced with more detailed sourcing.

Source quality

The primary sources of information in the article are anonymous, which affects the credibility and reliability of the claims. The use of anonymous sources is common in journalism, but it requires careful consideration of the source's credibility, which is not evident here. There are no attributed quotes or statements from The New Yorker, Condé Nast, or Arn, which diminishes the authority of the reporting. The reliance on unnamed sources and lack of direct attribution suggests a lower quality of sourcing.

Transparency

The article lacks transparency, particularly in how it obtained the information from anonymous sources. There is no explanation of the methodology used to gather the information or the reasons for relying on unnamed sources. The lack of disclosure regarding the context or potential conflicts of interest also affects the transparency. The article could benefit from more detailed explanations of how the information was verified and why certain sources remain anonymous.