With The Times

In her latest book, Margaret Sullivan distinguishes between authentic journalism and the fast-paced environment that undermines both truth and the integrity of the industry. Sullivan recounts her journey as a young female journalist in an industry overwhelmed by misinformation and “fake news.” Drawing on her insider knowledge, she advocates for change, using her expertise to navigate ethical dilemmas and uphold journalistic integrity. 

In her 2022 memoir, Newsroom Confidential: Lessons (and Worries) from an Ink-Stained Life, Sullivan explores the rapid evolution of American journalism, reflecting on pivotal moments from her career. The book centers on the evolution of journalistic practices and the growing demand for media accountability. 

In the very beginning of her book, Sullivan notes her greatest inspiration to her eventual career as an accomplished, female journalist. She highlights the Watergate scandal and Barbara Jordan’s testimony, noting the immense challenges Jordan faced as a Black woman speaking for the House of Representatives Judiciary Committee just years after the Civil Rights Movement.

Sullivan reflects on her mother’s admiration for Jordan’s testimony, connecting it to her own evolving sense of integrity and empowerment as a woman. As one of the first female editors in her field, Sullivan channels this identity to inspire aspiring female journalists, encouraging them to define for themselves what it means to be a woman in the newsroom.

During her career, Sullivan encountered many hardships, including cut-throat competition for five out of 15 seconds of fame. She illustrates journalism as a path with many obstacles and how the career can be difficult for many young aspiring journalists. However, Sullivan makes a distinct point many aspiring journalists must consider: ethics and moral responsibility are both as important as telling a compellingly honest story.

Locally from Lackawanna, New York, she began her career as a summer intern at The Buffalo News, after working as a reporter and columnist there. She later made history as the newspaper’s first female editor. In this role, Sullivan recalls never having a “comfortable day.” When she did, she felt guilty for being “too soft,” believing it compromised her ability to offer an outsider’s perspective and uphold clear journalistic standards.

After serving as the paper’s first female editor-in-chief, she sought a role with greater influence on the shrinking integrity of democracy in the newspaper industry. In 2012, courage and determination motivated Sullivan to become a public editor for the New York Times: a job she would soon learn many lessons from.

During her tenure at The New York Times from 2012 to 2016, Sullivan reflected on the challenges and dynamics of working with executive editors Jill Abramson and Dean Baquet. Following the controversial termination of Jill Abramson in 2014, Sullivan asserts her confidence in standing up for herself, noting that her role as public editor often required her to navigate the responsibilities of both a reporter and a defender of journalistic integrity.

In her role, Sullivan took on various responsibilities, such as diversifying the editorial tone by suggesting more humanizing terminology and emphasizing the importance of representation. She quickly recognized the stark contrast in workplace dynamics between the national publication and her experience at the more localized The Buffalo News. Reflecting on her experience at the Times, she describes having “a front-row seat for unfolding history.”

However, Sullivan was critical of the paper’s fast-paced environment, particularly its failure to properly credit sources and the ongoing drama within the newsroom—issues that led her to dub it “the drama-rich Times.” She also raised concerns about the growing spread of misinformation, which intensified during Trump’s 2016 reelection campaign and the rapid expansion of social media. 

While these issues of news and media credibility had been simmering for years, they worsened during this period, marked by the rise of activist journalism and shifting political reporting. Sullivan misses an opportunity in this section to address the lack of diversity in the newsroom, failing to note that journalists’ identities impact media credibility and can lead to more empathetic, in-depth reporting.

After four years at the Times, Sullivan transitioned to a columnist position at The Washington Post in 2016. In the midst of a rapidly changing digital landscape, she observed a shared reality at both papers—print was becoming obsolete. While technology advanced at lightning speed, the papers raced to keep up. Unlike most other newspapers in 2016, the Post was not shrinking but growing—thanks in part to its billionaire owner, Jeff Bezos, who had acquired the paper in 2013 and steered it toward a more forward-leaning future.

Reflecting on her career after leaving the Post, Sullivan acknowledges the wealth of experience, lessons, and personal growth she gained. Yet, she also highlights the challenges of working in a highly competitive, often disheartening field—especially as a woman, given that women made up only one-third of newsroom managers in 2012. 

Despite these obstacles, Sullivan continued to break barriers, challenge societal norms, and call for reform in the industry. In the middle of her book, Sullivan leaves readers with a powerful reflection, quoting Ben Bradlee, former executive editor of the Post, whose words encapsulate her journalistic ethics: “The truth, no matter how bad, is never as dangerous as a lie in the long run.”